More Than Just A Crush
by Killua K
Summary: AU Aoshi is the most popular student at Shizuoka Senior High. He receives love confessions from girls every day, but he always turns them down. One day, he suddenly finds a love letter from his childhood friend, Misao... READ and REVIEW! XD
1. Unrequited

A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you enjoy this story :D Reviews are very much welcome, so don't be shy and just keep on reviewing. I try to update this once a week, and I'm really hoping that I'd be able to finish this fic by the end of the summer (summer as in summer of 2010 ohohoho! I started writing this two years ago..). Oh well! Let's get it on! XD

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 1: Unrequited

* * *

She kept on drawing my attention throughout the whole recital. Her graceful moves, slender curves, innocent smile - everything about her radiated through the vast distant space that separated me on my cushioned seat, from her on the polished wooden stage. I stared at her eagerly, not wanting to miss a moment as she bent her elastic body, stretched her long limbs, flexed her strong toes, and danced in a synchronized movement together with several girls on the floor. It was the very first time I've seen a lady like her, yet amazingly, she had already managed to capture my fastidious attention. From there forth I knew, I had to meet her no matter what, and explicitly tell her how she made me smile by her stunningly stupendous ballet performance onstage.

"Aoshi..."

She spun flawlessly, almost like an indefatigable ballerina doll. Extending her arms to the crowd as if pleading, she swiftly sprinted across the vast space and suddenly jumped high into the air, with her long legs fully stretched out into a split.

"Oi...Sempai..."

I didn't move a single muscle in my eye, afraid that my own source of vision would betray me and shut me off into the darkness where she didn't exist. It was merely enough for me to gaze at her movements from a tormenting distance, and appreciate the effort she exerted in executing her own dance steps. Though I could barely make out her features from where I sat, I believed that I had memorized a fair deal of grace and unspoken beauty from her unparalleled stance.

"Shinomori-sempai!"

Manly as I was, I never became interested in any girly stuff. I always perceived those things to be a source of annoyance, since I thought they were ineffective ways for a girl to represent her genuine personality. But she made me realize that ballet was otherwise. I wanted to convince myself that I would meet her someday - somewhere in this overly populated world. Soon, I would witness her dance gracefully once more, and relive the very moment when my infatuation for her bloomed on that fateful night, three years ago.

"Wake up, Aoshi-kun!"

My eyes flung open in bewilderment.

"Yay! My dear sempai is awake at last! Oh my god, I've been watching you sleep the whole time you know. I was staring at your face for like...what? Fifteen minutes? Well, I don't exactly know, but hey, I don't care anyway! You know, you're really handsome. And I like how your eyebrows arched like that," the blue-eyed girl in front of me pointed as she drew an invisible shape in the air.

"Wonder what angle it is...Oh well, you really have a healthy skin, Sempai! No pimples, acne or whatsoever. Ah! But I think I found a couple of blackheads earlier over here..." her petite slender fingers moved over my nose and attempted to touch my delicate skin.

"What the - ? Hey, stop it!" I instinctively dodged my head so as to prevent her from molesting me.

The impolite kohai giggled in a very irritating way, snorting confidently as if she were the only person inside the room. "Gomen ne! But really...you're so vain! To think you're so manly and all girls like you in this school! I wouldn't be surprised if you spend like a lot of time in the bathroom," she paused briefly then started babbling nonsense again. "Oh, and I noticed this small...uhhmm...'mole' on your left cheek. Ah, but it ain't big so don't be alarmed. It's actually suitable on your angelic face! An imperfection on one's "perfect" asset accentuates the asset's beauty and value even more. Or at least I think it is so...

"I was about to caress your face actually, tried to savor its tenderness on my skin...But...

"You drooled on your arm, Shinomori-sempai."

Staring blankly at the boisterous girl in front of me, I contemplated for a while if I should strike her with my hand for mercilessly interrupting my dream or choke her to death for watching me succumb to a peaceful slumber while meticulously examining the unhygienic excretions on my face. I looked at her, not moving a single muscle. She lifted her hand and pointed to my right arm that lied flatly on the desk.

"I said you...you drooled on your arm," she repeated as she smiled sweetly at me. "It'll smell if you don't wipe it."

I finally looked down to check the veracity of her allegation. Surprisingly, a streak of viscous saliva dripped on the sides of my arm, eventually wetting my desk. _Not again..._I sighed heavily as I dug into my messy bag that hung on a chair beside me. My hands groped for a tissue inside, searching for the only tool that I could use to wipe out the sticky sensation clinging onto my skin.

"Here, Shinomori-sempai. You can use my hankie."

I looked up and saw the piece of cloth she held out to me. Realizing it wasn't a deep shade of pink as I had imagined it to be, I hesitantly took it from her hand and carefully placed it on my arm. I simply nodded my head to signify my gratitude towards her, and she warmly received it with a beam on her countenance.

Misao Makimachi is the daughter of my parents' best friends. What a coincidence, right?

We grew up together as children, basically due to our parents' remarkably intimate friendship. I could still remember the times when she would invite me to play with her toy soldiers.

Ah yes...I wasn't mistaken. She was fond of boyish things - cars, soldiers, robots, dinosaurs, and other gory stuff. She enjoyed playing and fighting with boys who were twice her own size, and amazingly, she was never defeated in any battle. She loved running around the field, trying to outrun me as we raced towards an imaginary finish line. And it was probably the reason why I was able to form this superficial friendship with her - she wasn't a girl at all.

But ever since she entered elementary school, we stopped hanging out with her family. I didn't have the slightest idea why it suddenly happened. My parents told me the Makimachi household was pretty busy with their own things and blah, blah, blah. But I never really believed them. _Maybe they don't like us anymore?_ I once thought in my third grade. However, as several months, years passed by without any form of communication from the Makimachis, I decided to move on and forget everything about them. Besides, I was also growing up, and my circle of friends was becoming larger. I knew I didn't need a playmate like Misao to entertain me.

It wasn't until my last year in senior high school that I've been reunited with her all of a sudden. She entered my school this spring, amazingly finishing off at the top 3 in the admissions examination. I could still remember when she, together with the other top students in her year, was introduced on stage by our teachers. She had this long braid hanging on her back, while her skirt almost touched the edge of her knee-high socks. If only she wore glasses and braces, I could swear she looked like a total sheepish geek.

But I should've anticipated otherwise.

Vociferous, daredevil, candid, cocky, tomboy...

How could I have forgotten the little girl I used to play with more than a decade ago? She merely grew up to be the exaggerated version of that kid, but heck, she didn't change a bit - I mean, she didn't mature in a more effeminate way unlike other teenage girls in our school. Yeah, she's outrageously intelligent, but other than that, I never saw any tenderness in her actions.

And probably, that's why I didn't mind if she followed me around, or made fun of me, or even became obsessed with me.

"You're welcome!"

I returned the slightly damped cloth to her, and she instantly took it from my hand. She tucked it inside the pocket of her blouse and looked at me again. "Won't you meet her? She's probably waiting for you," she bluntly said. I suddenly remembered the love letter I received this morning inside my shoebox. The author of the note wanted to meet up with me at lunch break in front of the library. Honestly, I didn't want to waste my precious nap time on her, but since Makimachi was bugging me, I decided to do it anyway.

* * *

The lady had short hair. She was alone in front of the old enormous building, continuously glancing at her sides. As soon as I approached her, I noticed the insurmountable glitter that suddenly lit up in her huge chocolate brown eyes. I've seen the very same thing since I was in elementary, and I knew that after I unleash the magical words, that sparkle would definitely vanish in an instant, killing the single spark of hope that a girl like her clung onto.

"Uhhmm..my name is Harumi Imai," she introduced herself in a very high-pitched voice. "I...I..." she stuttered. "I've suppressed my genuine feelings for you since I was in first year. But, since you'll be graduating next semester, I thought I had to let you know before you leave."

I didn't manifest any hint of emotion on my face. Quite interestingly, I'm known to have a very strong stoic feature, an attribute I didn't know I had until a few years ago. And it was in times like this when I artistically utilize this particular trait to aid me in handling this kind of situation.

"Will you go out with me?" she cried as she bowed her head and upper part of her body in a very Japanese manner. She finally pleaded for my love - for my sweet "Yes" that could mean the world to her, just like the hundreds of girls who bowed to me before.

But I'm not at all interested in her, or in any other girl who would confess to me in a cheap manner like this.

"Sorry..."

A one-word reply as I abruptly turned my back from her and started to walk back to my classroom. The school bell started to ring and resonate through the halls and alleys, signaling the end of the students' lunch break. Our next subject was Japanese, and I remembered that we would be having a short quiz about the complicated topic we discussed a day ago.

_One, two, three..._

As I finished counting in my head, I instantly heard the sound of the girl's wail from behind. I knew she would do it, all right. I'd be surprised if she didn't.

* * *

I sighed heavily as I noticed a piece of pink envelope inside my shoebox. _Another letter, I suppose..._

I was about to ignore it since I was rushing to go home. But something kept on nagging inside my head, telling me to take it from its cradle and digest its content even for a brief period of time. So I decided to read the letter, expecting what kind of format and message it would contain:

_Dear Shinomori-sempai,_

_Hey, guess what? I saw you reject the poor girl earlier. Actually, I was hiding behind the giant Sakura tree near the library to get a good glimpse. Well, I've seen you do it many times anyway, so it didn't really come to me as a surprise. _

_Uhhhmm...so, can we meet tomorrow after classes? Let's say, inside your classroom, until everyone leaves. I'll be waiting, okay? )_

_Lovelots,_

_Mi-chan_

_P.S. If you're gonna reject me, try to do it in a different way. Can you do that for me? Yay! Thanks! Mwaaahh!_

I stared in disbelief at the letter I was holding.

"Ohhhh! You finally read it! How was it? Did you feel anything, Sempai?" a familiar loud voice emerged from behind. I turned around and was quite annoyed to see her smiling widely in front of me with that stupid look in her eyes. I wanted to crumple the letter she wrote and throw it to her on that very moment. "Did you feel any love, eh? Oh my god...I rewrote that several times, could you imagine that? I can't believe I wasted a lot of effort and paper and ink and ATP and time in composing a lovely letter for you. So uhhmm...you better do it right tomorrow, ok? Ja mata ne!"

She turned around and skipped happily away from me, while humming an irritating song I thought I heard somewhere before. Her long skirt swayed behind her, together with the long braid that hung from her head. My head ached as I glanced at the senseless letter that I was holding and back to the crazy girl who just talked to me a while ago. I shook my head in immense astonishment and tried to convince myself that nothing just took place.

_I can't believe this is happening..._

* * *

TBC...

A/N: Hahaha! Misao is queer, alright! Hope you liked the first chapter! Please give me a review, ok? Thanks!


	2. Ignored

A/N: Yep! Just what I've promised!

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 2: Ignored

* * *

Her face was a mere blur.

It appeared to be a phantasm that surreptitiously strode beside me, emanating a quite mysterious aura that slowly overpowered my own presence. Although I barely made out her features, I could very well decipher a discreet grin beyond the haze that permanently distorted her form. _She's smiling,_ I optimistically thought.

But whether or not it was a specialized gift or mere coincidence, her beautiful smile meant the world to me – at least in that moment. It held a very special spot in my heart, always reminding me that even though I had only seen her once, we could always meet in our secret chimerical paradise, with her continuously dancing on stage as I savor every second of her performance.

"Ahoy, Ao-chan!"

She suddenly turned her back from me, and started to take a few paces on the grass-covered earth. I reached out my hand to prevent her from leaving me so soon.

"Geez! Hey, wake up!"

The rooster-head forcibly opened my eyelids by his fingers.

"Aaahh...There ya go! That's much better, lover boy!" Sano straightened his back and laughed loudly, almost in a taunting manner. I tightly shut my eyes for a brief moment then finally flung them open. My droopy eyes glanced at the big wall clock in front of me, and briefly scanned the burning classroom. Realizing that most of my classmates were out, probably eating their bento boxes somewhere under the trees, I stretched my arms and yawned like a little boy, with my big mouth wide open. It was absolutely the hottest day of the month as the sun's unforgiving blaze penetrated through the earth's fragile atmosphere and literally toasted my frail dehydrated body. Beads of sweat liberally rolled down on my face, as if I had micro-mini faucets protruding through my skin. My thin polo shirt was soggy with accumulated sweat and heat from my back and chest. I wanted to undress at that very moment, in order to free the trapped moisture and absurdly high temperature of my skin. But of course, I didn't want to attract any attention, so I simply took a cardboard fan under my desk and vigorously shook it to pump air towards my face.

"Did you eat yet?"

I looked up and saw Sano with his humongous bento. He grinned widely as he placed it on my table and dragged a chair to sit in front. His hand moved over the lid of his lunch box and carefully opened the lock that separated him from his only source of happiness. As he lifted it open, a gastronomically satisfying aroma instantly spread in the air, making my stomach churn ever more.

Sano took his chopsticks and began gobbling up his food.

I didn't expect him to offer me anything, anyway. He simply asked if I already ate, and even if I answered him "yes", he'd still probably display his own delicious stuff and eat like there's no tomorrow.

He paused for a while as he took a bottle of Oolong Tea from behind. He twisted the cap open then drank the cold beverage in one gulp. "Aaaaahhhhh...!" Sano satisfyingly said as he touched his throat by his hand – just like what people do in a Coke commercial.

"This stuff is good, ya know!"

"I know..."

"Hey I asked you if you already ate! So have you?"

"Yah..."

"Well, I really wanted to share my food with you, but as you can I see, I'm almost done anyway. Besides, I need a lot of energy to get through this very, very hot day."

_Yeah, right. Humor me._

"Okay..."

"Got a high score in our quiz in Kokugo yesterday?"

"Well, it's okay..."

"Hmm...I see. I shouldn't have asked! You're a genius, anyway, Ao-chan!"

"Will you please stop calling me 'Ao-chan?'" I asked him to stop calling me by that stupid girly name.

"That's why ALL the girls like you! And I mean ALL, Ao-chan! I mean, who wouldn't fall for a vain, in a positive way, intelligent, athletic guy like you? You're every girl's prince charming! The real deal, man!"

I shook my head and tried to dismiss all the 'praises' he threw at me. No, I'm not a girl's prince charming, and heck I'm not even vain! Well, yeah, I spend a long time in the bathroom, grooming my face, hair and all that. But anyway, I don't exist in this world as a girl's mere object of obsession. At least, I don't believe that it's my sole purpose in life. I have my own dreams, too, my own life, my own interests. I can't always be pleasing every girl in this country by parading my looks and abilities. I wasn't born to be liked by stupid foolish girls who cry irritatingly when they get rejected by their ultimate crush. I wasn't made to satisfy their nonsense fantasies and make them happy all the time.

"But, dude, I can't believe you rejected Harumi Imai yesterday! Don't you know everyone in this school found out what you did to the boys' number 1 idol? Hell, what's wrong with you man? You should've just agreed to date her! It's not as if you're gonna get married or anything."

"She's pathetic," I bluntly told my best friend.

"WHAT?" he cried in disappointment. "C'mon! Don't tell me that! She ain't pathetic, man! She's HOT! Do you exactly know her vital statistics, huh?"

I shrugged my head, telling him that I was darn clueless about the girl I met yesterday.

"WHAT?" he shouted again, almost deafening my ears. "She's like the most popular teenage girl in this area! Not only in this school, Ao-chan! Every boy in this city wants to date her, and you, of all people, dumped her just like that!"

I eyed Sanosuke with a blank expression on my face. I didn't want to argue with him about that crap. Every time I would reject a girl, he would come by at my classroom the next day and scold me for not accepting the girl's love. He would say that I missed a great opportunity, that I just destroyed half of my life, or that I simply didn't get it at all.

He kept on ranting and babbling in front of me. Just like always, his stupid senseless litanies passed through my right ear and exited through the left. Hey, if he's saying that what I did was wrong, then he should just date all the girls whom I rejected and try to appease their superficial feelings. I don't care – not at all.

"SORRY? And what's with that, huh? After she reveals to you her true feelings, you just say that you're 'Sorry'? That's sick, Ao-chan! C'mon! Act like a man, bro! You ain't gay! You ain't even a kid no more! At least, say something else. Try to comfort her when she cries! Don't even try to leave her all of a sudden! Hell, that's utterly rude you know!"

"Say, do you like Imai-san?" I interrupted him.

He was caught off guard when I released the bomb. The tension in his eyes suddenly eased into tenderness, and surprisingly, he stretched his lips into a wide grin as he unconsciously played with his hands. "Aaahhh...well..." he said. "She's pretty. Hot. Gorgeous. Sexy. I mean, she's really a stunning woman, believe me."

I stood up from my chair and inserted my hands inside the pockets of my pants. Glancing briefly outside to see the swarm of girls and boys having fun under the sun during this hour, I sighed heavily and turned my back away from the window.

"Go date her then." I simply retorted. Walking away from my friend, I felt a rush of happiness flow through my veins. I wasn't sure why, but it seemed that after a very long time, and after several conversations like this with Sano, I've finally told him what I've been wanting to tell him since then.

* * *

The bell finally sounded, resonating its familiar tone throughout the whole school. The last period for the day has ended with our homeroom teacher reminding us that next week would be our Midterm Exams. If we won't study hard for it, he said, we won't definitely enjoy our summer vacation. I believe he had a good reason to say so, since students who would fail in their tests are required to make up for their low grades. It only meant that they had to come to school, everyday of the summer, to attend remedial classes and such. And heck, I wouldn't want that kind of boring life.

Everyone started leaving our classroom, while I prepared my things and stuffed them inside my school bag. When I was about to head off, one female student suddenly popped out from nowhere and interrupted me.

"Uhm, Shinomori-kun, can I talk to you for a sec?" Kaoru Kamiya, the Student Council president approached me surprisingly. I knew she was my classmate, but I never imagined that she'd ever talk to me. "The Student Council is organizing a Summer Party, and we thought that maybe you could help us with it. Is it all right?"

_Party?_ I thought.

"I mean, if you don't want to help, it's perfectly fine. It's just that, many people in our organization specially requested for your presence. Right now, I'm not pretty sure what they're up to, but they told me that your acceptance of this invitation would be greatly appreciated."

_Oh, for heaven's sake, don't even try to bother a man like me! _

But even though I complained inside my head, I was surprised to find out after a while that I was already walking beside Kamiya-san, heading to the Student Council's room. I couldn't remember how I've come to agree upon what she said, but hey, it's too late.

The petite girl beside me gently slid the door in front of us and pleasingly ushered me inside. As I stepped my foot beyond the door, I found several people sitting around a couple of long tables. Astonishingly, a thunderous clap greeted me, sending a shock to my senses.

"This is remarkable!" one boy shouted happily.

"Now that we have him, our plan will truly be a success!" a girl screamed from somewhere.

"Oh my god! Kamiya-san was able to convince Shinomori-sempai! Unbelievable!" another girl muttered.

I wasn't used to that kind of reception, even to this very large crowd. Secretly pinching my arm, I forced myself to wake up from such a traumatizing dream. I didn't want to be there. Nor did I want to participate in their nonsense Summer Party idea whatsoever. But unfortunately, I wasn't dreaming at all. Standing nervously in front of so many unknown people, I tried my best to keep myself calm and act normally as possible. My heart thudded in a very fast pace inside my chest, and the veins around my eyes started to throb incessantly. My lungs was expanding and contracting abnormally as it tried to keep up with my heart's pace, while my stomach twitched in unbearable agony. It was a silent torture gradually numbing my nerves and eventually poisoning my genuine sense of reality.

"Shall we begin?" Kamiya-san signaled the start of their meeting. I was sitting two seats from her, and I merely shut my mouth, not wanting to involve myself in their boring discussion.

My eyes glanced at the clock. It was 5 in the afternoon. I wanted to go home so badly that for several minutes, I didn't take my eyes off the clock on the wall. _What's with them anyway? As if students would bother to party inside the school? Pathetic people..._

They continued on with their discussion. They talked about the date of the party, venue, food, attire, theme, monetary contribution, program, games, contests and other stuff. I heard that they tentatively set the date of the party at the end of the Midterm exams Week, and planned to do it in one of the private beaches of Soujiro Seta, the richest student in our school.

They were very ambitious, just as what I've expected from young politicians like them. Very aggressive, and very audacious when it comes to stupid ideas like this. They wanted to succeed in projects that would serve as entertainment for students, not in those activities that could enhance the students' academic and social welfare. How sad, I thought, they do nothing but undermine the very core values that they should represent as student leaders of our school.

"So, Shinomori-kun would be assisting us in this part of the program," Kenshin Himura, the Vice President of the Student Council suddenly spoke. "This is like a documentary show and dating contest rolled into one. At first, we would be filming his life as the stoic, insensitive Adonis of our generation. We'll try to expose his insights about school life and teenage love."

_What the - ? _I shouted angrily in my head. I didn't want to create any commotion so I simply sat on my seat, letting them do what they want.

"After that, he'd be participating in an actual dating contest. Here, we have to carefully scout for the three perfect girls who can be his destined match. Ahh...Tsubame-chan, would you mind if I make you the head for the contest?"

"No, not at all, Ken-san."

"Great! And so the mechanics would be like this..." Himura-san explained every detail in that seemingly most special part of the program. He, together with Kamiya-san, stressed that the Student Council should do their best in order to succeed in their plans, and most especially, cater to the students' insatiable search for entertainment.

I listened on and off to their very long discussion, until finally, I had managed to leave the room first since Kamiya-san told me that they wouldn't be finished until 8:30. Grateful that she even remembered I was excruciatingly waiting there, I hurried back to my classroom to pick up my stuff and head home.

And then I realized the silly mistake that I have unconsciously done.

When I slid the door open and turned on the lights, I found a girl sitting on my chair, humming a familiarly irritating tune that I've heard somewhere before.

She was pulling the zipper of my bag back and forth as she swayed her head in a very weird fashion.

I glanced at the clock on the wall, and saw the time. It was already past 8 o'clock in the evening.

"Very interesting way to reject me, eh..."

The girl lifted her head and stared at me directly with her huge sapphire blue eyes. I didn't notice any pain or sadness on her countenance, though I really did expect her to act like that. She stretched her lips into a smile and slowly stood up from my chair.

"You know, I like your school bag. It looks pretty sturdy and nice on the outside," she began to say. She picked it up from my desk then joyfully skipped towards me, as she held it out.

"What's the brand?"

Not really knowing what she's up to, I decided to answer her trifle question, taking the bag from her small hands. "Roconails..."

Misao surprisingly laughed when she heard me answer. Her right hand gently patted my bag, as if it were a small puppy deserving attention.

"It's good you remembered to pick it up..." she smiled at me for the last time, turning her head as she started to take a few paces away from me.

"Damn, I'm so jealous of you, Roconails!" Misao finally shouted in the dark empty hallway while hopping away like a little girl.

_C'mon! Act like a man, bro! You ain't gay! You ain't even a kid no more! At least, say something else. Try to comfort her when she cries! Don't even try to leave her all of a sudden!_

Sanosuke's words surprisingly rang inside my head as I watched her form disappear into the darkness.

Then I realized, Misao didn't cry. _What's to comfort for?_

She was even the first to leave. _Why even stay?_

Sanosuke's a total idiot.

* * *

TBC...

A/N: Yay! Please review! Hahaha! Misao is really weird..Well, both of them! Ja mata ne!


	3. Misread

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 3: Misread

* * *

He haunted me in my dreams since I was a kid.

Those large grayish-blue orbs, glistening incessantly amidst a blanket of darkness, eyed me intently, though apparently void of even the most mundane of emotions. His thin lips could've stretched out for a mile, if he had only arched those muscles to form an effortless grin. But he preferred to conserve his energy, and instead puckered his mouth into his trite trademark of a frown. Smooth raven hair spread across his indifferent countenance, accentuating the mysterious aura that engulfed his whole existence. Broad masculine shoulders perfectly cut into rigid corners that gradually tapered to his sculpted arms down his long slender fingers. His flawlessly chiseled chest was a sanctuary, offering a refuge where I could hide away from all the lies and hypocrisy of the entire humanity.

He stealthily lived within the recesses of my mind - constantly wandering, relentlessly saturating my nerve cells with tons of information and incomparable sensation that originated only from him.

The sole inhabitant inside my head.

The conductor beating to the tempo of my heart.

This man was more than a fragment of my soul. He was the air I breathed, the language I spoke, the music I hummed – the mere world I lived in.

And yet every time I open my eyes, every tormenting moment I wake up into a realm where Prince Charming does not exist, everything that I witness and feel inside my dreams fleetingly evaporates, dissolving into but a mere blur that soon fades away.

Aoshi Shinomori is an apathetic moron.

And I'm a complete idiot for liking him.

* * *

I followed him down the hallway, to the designated rendezvous. Hoping that he won't notice me, I tiptoed as I sprinted across almost empty alleys and rushed down the stairs.

Hands inside his pockets, he casually strode down the same path I took. His shoulders were relaxed, and no sign of apprehension showed on his actions. I've seen him do this for several times now. Last week, if I remember it correctly, he pulled up the exact flawless replica of his walking eminence more than ten times. Today though should've been different if I were him. He should've practiced more in displaying his emotions before he decided to meet up with that girl. He should've at least brought a handkerchief with him, or anything that she could use to wipe her tears as soon as she hears his utterly painful rejection. After all, she's not just any girl in the school.

Harumi Imai, together with some bitchy-looking girls, ah, but they were good people though, was the most popular teenager in our area. Ask any boy in our city to describe Imai-san, and he'd certainly answer you in one word – ah, three words, I guess, for that matter.

"Damn, she's HOT!"

So I thought Shinomori-sempai should've at least concocted a brilliant novel idea in hurting her. _He does hurt girls anyway..._

And then I sneakily hid behind the giant Sakura tree strongly rooted on the ground across the façade of the library. Feeling victorious from furtively spying on Shinomori-sempai, I watched the couple closely and tried my best to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Uhhm...my name is Harumi Imai," she introduced herself in a very high-pitched voice.

He stared at her blankly.

"Maybe..." she stuttered as she unconsciously played with her fingers. "May-maybe...y-y-ou don't know me y-yet..."

He didn't take off his eyes from her.

"Hahaha..." I could hear the nervous chuckle that escaped from her shivering mouth. "B-but...I know you, Aoshi-kun. I j-just know you very well."

He didn't move a single muscle in his body as he listened to her confession.

"I've suppressed my genuine feelings for you since I was in first year...

"I tried to convince myself that..." she looked at him with intense passion and emotion. "...tried to convince myself that I just don't deserve you."

_At least say something, Sempai!_ I shouted in my head – although I was unusually glad that he didn't say a thing.

"I-I mean...everyone likes you. Every girl wants to date you. And every time I think about it, my heart races inside my chest and I instantly twitch in pain..."

I was certain that he blinked his eye for a moment there.

"Hiding these feelings for more than a year now has been the most painful thing I've ever done, Aoshi-kun..."

_Awww...that's...that's sweet._ I felt like crying when she said that. I wasn't sure why. But perhaps, somehow I understood her very well.

"Since you'll be graduating next semester, I thought I had to let you know before you leave..." she explained as she bowed her head to prevent herself from crying.

Shinomori-sempai was quiet as ever, still as a sole lamp post in a desolated street.

"Will you go out with me?" Imai-san finally collapsed into a Japanese bow, with her upper body perfectly angled from her legs. I witnessed the intensity of her emotions, sincerity of her feelings for the stoic statue-like man in front of her, seemingly gazing into nothingness, his lips pursed into a tight frown. She didn't move from her difficult position, probably terrified to get a glimpse of his facial reaction.

I watched the drama taking place, about thirty feet from where I secretly stood. Harumi was begging for his love, for his attention, pleading as if her life was at stake. Shinomori-sempai was staring bluntly at her, void of any emotion, casually phlegmatic, almost resembling a dead man.

"Sorry..."

_Huh?_

A minute hasn't even passed.

His back turned from her sharply, displaying a strong disapproval of her feelings. Before he started to pace away from the girl behind him, he paused briefly when the school bell suddenly rang. And then without any word of goodbye, he deserted the poor girl who never even lifted her head to see his face. He left her, without any sign of guilt or sympathy. He nonchalantly walked away, not even turning around to check if she was all right.

I wanted to approach Imai-san who broke down on her knees as she began wailing like a widowed lady. But I felt that I had to leave her alone.

She has to endure the pain by herself.

Or else no will.

* * *

"Hhhmm..."

I nibbled the tip of my pen and meditated.

"Hmmmmm..."

My fingers gripped on the writing tool tightly and started to scribble some words.

"Hhhhhmm..."

Suddenly, my right hand stopped writing. I lifted my head and stared in oblivion.

_This ain't right._ I looked down on the paper lying flatly on my desk. My handwriting was unrecognizable. It appeared to be illegible even to its author. I ran my fingers through my hair and vigorously ruffled it, slightly messing up my long braid. _C'mon, Misao...Think! How can you get his attention? How can you make him say "yes"?_

"Heya! Whaddya doin'?"

_C'mon, c'mon...should I say "Aoshi-chan"? Nahhh..it's girly. Should I address him as "Mr. Right''? Ahh..but...it sounds too cheesy..._

"Oi, oi! Mi-chan, what's that, huh?"

_Hey, what if I say..."Aoshi dear"? Would that sound nice?_

"Yoohoo! Are you even listening to me?"

Then I realized Soujiro Seta was right there, his bright young face staring at me enthusiastically. But I just didn't imagine that those words would slip from my mouth.

"Do you love me?"

"Eh..?"

_Oh shoot..._What the hell was that? _Crap, crap, crap...no, Soujiro, I didn't mean to- to say that!_

His face flushed red. And uhh...I wasn't exactly sure how he looked like that moment because...well, because I turned my face away from him! Crap! Why would that even slip from my mouth...Darn it all...

"You know I do."

_Eh? _My jaw dropped as I slowly moved my head to see his reaction. _What the - ? _

His face was a breath away from mine, and my body suddenly shivered as an unusual sensation ran down my spine. He stretched his lips into a wide grin, his eyes gleaming in extreme delight. I wanted to slap him that time – wanted to crush his head in my hands and run away as fast as I could. But his face was just damn near! Oh boy, hell it was!

"Why, you don't believe me?"

"Eh? Wh-what?"

"I asked you if you don't believe me."

"We-well...of course I-I do believe you, Soujiro b-but..."

Surprisingly, he pulled his face away then messed up my hair. "I was just jokin', Mi-chan!"

_Well...that's...that's a relief._

My heart stopped thudding uncontrollably. My lips arched up, and I smiled at him. "Yeah...of course you were...hahaha!" _Did he notice that I felt uneasy when he just said that?_

He stood up from his seat then held my shoulders gently. "Good luck with your love letter."

Even if I knew it sounded normal, even if I knew that simple wish came from a very close friend of mine, even if I knew it was just a common conversation between two teenagers,

It felt as if everything didn't seem to fit into place.

And when I glanced back at the letter I was writing for Aoshi Shinomori, a familiar scenario popped inside my head.

A distraught and miserable Harumi Imai, wailing helplessly on her knees as her loved one deserted her, emerged from the recesses of my mind. First it appeared to be a mere blur, until gradually, it turned into a crystal clear picture. Trying to dissolve the horrible sight, I tightly shut my eyes as fear and dread crept up in my veins. And as if by instinct, two trembling hands ultimately crushed the unfinished letter on my desk.

I was too damn afraid to do it.

* * *

_Dear Shinomori-sempai,_

_Hey, guess what? I saw you reject the poor girl earlier. Actually, I was hiding behind the giant Sakura tree near the library to get a good glimpse. Well, I've seen you do it many times anyway, so it didn't really come to me as a surprise. _

_Uhhhmm...so, can we meet tomorrow after classes? Let's say, inside your classroom, until everyone leaves. I'll be waiting, okay? )_

_Lovelots,_

_Mi-chan_

_P.S. If you're gonna reject me, try to do it in a different way. Can you do that for me? Yay! Thanks! Mwaaahh!_

Fortunately, I was able to compose the perfect love letter for Aoshi-sama. Although, it might seem a little bit strange from his point of view, I knew that it contained all my unspoken emotions for him. At least, that's how I thought it came out to be.

Knowing that he'd stay in his classroom according to what I've written down, and since I also saw him personally read it in front of his shoebox, I was confident that everything would work out as I planned. As soon as the school bell rang, signifying another end of a school day, I rushed to our rendezvous and excitedly prepped up for the conversation that would take place.

I stood beside the door of the room and silently watched as each person gathered his things and headed off his home. The small place was emptying itself in a fast rate and my heart started beating faster as adrenaline flowed in my veins. After a few more minutes, no one would be left inside the place, except Aoshi and I. For some reason, the idea that I would finally be confessing my true feelings for this man scared me. As I stood there waiting, there were moments when I hesitated to stay and meet him. My legs just wanted to move and break away from the invisible chain that excruciatingly bound me to that spot. But then, that sheer anxiety soon vanished, and all that was left in me was the guts to tell him everything.

_It's now or never..._I thought to myself.

Soon, every single person that I saw earlier in the classroom left. Realizing Aoshi wasn't there yet, I quietly entered through the door and decided to sit on his seat.

His bag was on top of his desk. I peeped inside it and noticed the filthy clutter that lurked within. It was awfully disorganized, and I even thought he was a very clean man.

But what even bothered me more was that seemingly infinite movement of the clock's hands.

Every second that passed felt like eternity.

And I was all alone in the dark empty room.

I was waiting for him since five in the afternoon. But hell, before I even knew it, it was already past eight in the evening when the door slid open and his indifferent form emerged from the pitch-black darkness in the hallway.

He was...I guess, a little bit surprised when he saw me sitting inside, humming to myself. And I just wished he could've said something when I turned my head around and smiled at him.

But he merely stared at me with those gray orbs. He didn't ask me "Why are you still here?" He didn't even say "I'm sorry I made you wait."

Aoshi came back because he forgot the school bag on his desk.

He never came because he remembered the letter I wrote to him.

And as I grinned widely at him before I left, I felt an urge to punch him straight into his face and beat him up like a stupid old rag doll. But I knew I was emotionally sick and dying at that moment.

Pretending everything was well, I hopped like a little girl in the hallway and prevented myself from bursting into tears.

Damn, it hurt like hell.

* * *

A/N: Waahh...I wrote this quickly so uhhmm..I'll try to edit it later ok? Please, please give me a review! XD


	4. Dismissed

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 4: Dismissed

* * *

I shut my eyes tightly for a few minutes, and rolled on the other side of my small bed so that my stomach was lying flatly against the unbelievably hard rigid mattress. Burying my face on an old worn-out pillow, I felt a rush of warm breath escaping through my slightly open mouth. The familiar sensation lasted for a brief moment as I quickly pulled myself away from imminent suffocation. Then, with insomnia knocking on the doors of my consciousness, my eyes automatically opened into a blinding darkness that shrouded the room.

"Hah...hah..."

Finding myself excruciatingly breathing, I decided to sit up straight, and tried to regain composure.

"Hah...hah..."

I lifted my right hand and put it over my chest, surprised to find out the incredibly fast rhythm of my beating heart.

"Hah...hah..."

My fingers ran through my hair and pulled it subconsciously. For a while, I didn't remove them there, as I started to slowly rock my body, folding my long legs in a manner that made my knees slightly touch the bottom part of my chin. I guess it already became a peculiar habit that I merely considered before as an absolutely crazy way of meditation. But unexpectedly, every time I managed to distort my whole form in such an awkward position, any tension or discomfort that I was feeling would soon evanesce, and a reward of solace would instead be achieved. It was definitely an odd method of alleviating a particular kind of restlessness at night; however, at that very moment, I knew it was my only refuge from an unknown demon befouling my sanity.

"Haaaahhh..." I let out a slow deep breath.

I saw her again in my dreams.

"Haaaahhh..." another painful exhale.

But 'twas particularly strange this time, a sweet dream rapidly turning into a bizarre nightmare.

"Haaaahhh..." Finally, I could feel my heart slowing down, gradually pulling off a more stabilized momentum that meant tranquility was settling in my nerves.

She was dancing on an empty stage, performing radiantly in front of a nonexistent audience. I knew that I was the sole spectator watching her graceful movements and polished technique, so I merely gazed at her brilliance and poignant beauty, prepared to applaud her in an overwhelming manner as soon as she stopped dancing.

However, my eager anticipation belied the exact emotion that I soon felt after I blinked my eyes in a fleeting moment.

Without any warning whatsoever, the girl whom I adored for a very, very long time collapsed on her knees and abruptly ended her ballet performance. She lifted her head and slowly turned to my direction, her countenance still a mere vague impression to my eyes.

Then for the very first time, she spoke to me in a very familiar voice, murmuring an interestingly recognizable phrase that I knew I heard somewhere before.

"Very interesting way to reject me, eh..."

It was followed by a smirk...then, a sad giggle that echoed in my ears.

And in an instant, I just found myself standing in a dark hallway, with my hands gripping tightly on the handle of my school bag.

_Misao... _As her name rang inside my head, I carefully removed my fingers from my hair, and then eased my bent legs into a lying position on the rigid bed. Surprisingly, my leg muscles started to cramp since they were deprived of free-flowing blood for a couple of minutes. I stretched them for a while and allowed them to rest, though the hardness of my mattress contributed no comfort to the lingering pain.

Eventually, I laid my back straight on the bed and for another trial-and-error time tightly shut my eyes, attempting to succumb to the magical power of sleep.

_How strange... _I mused to myself.

_Of all the countless girls I've rejected since I was a kid, Misao is the very first one to haunt me back in my own chimerical paradise._

And then as if by sheer luck, time froze around me – while the tranquil sober night cradled me back into its soothing arms.

* * *

"GOOD MORNING!"

I removed the rusty key from the bicycle lock and slid it in my pocket.

"OHHH! Isn't it a lovely day?"

My school bag was inside the front basket of my bike. I grabbed it from its steel container and slung it on my back. Starting to march away from the burning-like-hell parking lot, I decided to take wider strides in order to finish my walking travel in a few minutes since my classroom was located in the front building. A five-minute walk wasn't really too bad, but on an extremely hot day like this, it was better to spend less time under the scorching heat of the sun as I could literally scald my sensitive skin off.

"SEMPAIIIIII!"

"SEMPAIIIIII!"

"SEMPAIIIIII!"

The agonizing heat, the irritably humid weather, the nonsensical Midterms, the pathetic Summer Party documentary contest...

In addition to all these sources of my frustration, Misao fervently followed me behind, greeting me in a somewhat hyper maniacal way. The school day hasn't even fully started, yet she was already bugging me like a mad demented brat.

"OI! Wait up!" She tried to catch up, perhaps noticing my unusual walking speed. "Hey, are you gonna attend the Kendo Club later?"

"No." I simply continued walking to my destination, not glancing at her.

"Uhhhmm...so you're gonna study for tomorrow's midterms?"

"Aa..."

"Uhhhmm...that's cool!" she happily uttered. "Can...can y-you help me with my exams, too? It's, I mean, it's not that difficult for you, I guess. You already took Calculus, right?"

"No."

"Ehhh? Why? Why? But you're in your last year!"

"That's because you're in the top class of your year. I'm not."

"But you're intelligent! Everyone knows that!"

"I know..."

"Then how come you're not in the most competitive class? Uhhh, like Himura-sempai?"

"Because it's boring.."

"Ehhh? Boring? So that's just your reason?"

"Yes..."

"So I guess...you don't like studying then! Aha! Same with me, Sempai! You know, I wish I could also do what you've done. Did you bribe your teachers? Did you blackmail them or something so that you can study in a regular class? Tell me, ok? I'll definitely do that next semester. I mean, they always make us study hard stuff that I can't even understand. C'mon, I don't need those irrational theories when I buy a creampuff from a convenience store! They won't even help me in choosing the clothes that I like. It's pathetic, don't you think?"

"Yes..."

"And, hey...don't you think they're pushing us too hard to aim a slot in Tokyo University? Hell, I ain't rich! I ain't even smart! It's just nonsense, you know! Physics, Chemistry, Trigonometry, Japanese, English, Calculus...UGGHH! Give me a break! How can I even absorb all those info in one whole year, huh? I'm not Einstein. I'm not even Euclid or...or Plato! Don't you agree?"

"Yes..."

"Pain in the ass...Damn, hell they are!"

"Yes..."

"So...leaving early today?"

"Maybe..."

"Can I join you? Can I ride behind your bike? That's gonna be awesome you know! As if we were a true couple, deeply in love with each other! Then you'd take me down the river, and we'd watch the sun set from the lovely afternoon sky...Kyaaa! Then you'd hold my hands gently and savor their warmth and tenderness, and I'd be gazing into your lovely green eyes as you utter those most sought-after words from your mouth! Kyaaa! 'I like you so, sooo much!' Your deep lovely voice would endlessly echo inside my heart, and I'd be so intoxicated with your mere presence beside me. Kyaaa! Then you'd touch my face and caress it as if it was a delicate flower, and you'd..."

"...push you into the river."

"Hey! That's not nice, Sempai!"

"Then stop imagining those crazy things. It makes me sick."

"But I like you! You know I do...I've had a secret crush on you since I was a kid. Don't you remember?"

"Who would remember such thing, Makimachi?"

"...You? Well, unless your parents noticed it."

"Damned hell, they didn't."

"But then, I really, really like you! It's not a bad thing, isn't it?"

"No."

"COOL! Then, it's perfectly fine for me to fancy us together! You know what, that's actually my past time. I always imagine myself with you in any beautiful place where we could spend a romantic time. Walking along a beach, strolling in a park, watching movies in a theater, holding hands while waiting at a train station, cooking dinner at home, laughing in a classroom...what else? Uhhhmmm...One time, I even imagined that you were Brad Pitt and I was Angelina Jolie, and we were traveling around the world, adopting thousands of kids! Isn't that sweet? Ohhh...I just love it when we're together!"

"I don't."

"C'mon, Sempai! Stop being numb! I know you like me too, ne?"

I paused briefly before retorting her. Then as I inhaled a generous amount of air, I finally answered her silly question.

"I guess I'll attend Kendo Club later."

"Ohhh...really? That's great! I can watch you move in that cool outfit again! It's our bukatsu today, too, so it'd really be a great chance for us to meet again! Kyaaa! I just can't wait! We're actually prepping up for this coming Inter-High Championships this summer break, so we'd surely be working our butts off after Exams Week. Aren't you joining it too?"

"Perhaps..."

"Awesome, Sempai! We should go you know! Hey, even if I'm the only girl left in our team, I won't give up! I have to struggle and win the gold medal! Nyahahahahaha!"

"Yeah..."

"Then after I win the top prize, I'm sure you're gonna fall head over heels in love with me! Kyaaa! And you'd ask for my sweet "Yes", but at first, I'd hesitate to answer...'coz, you know, I gotta be demure too. And then, I would stare straight into your bright eyes, and you'd..."

"...spit on your face."

"Hey that's gross!"

"It suits you, though."

"Hell, not! Sempai, lovers don't push each other into the river, and they definitely don't SPIT on each other's face! That's just so...icky and yucky and, and...slimy and nasty! We shouldn't do that!"

"We're not lovers anyway."

"WELL, what I meant was the two of us in my fantasies! We exist in my own realm as a sweet, loving, perfect couple! The ultimate partnership throughout Japan!"

"Well, in mine, you're just my pet rat."

"RAT? Eeeeewww...That's disgusting! Not even a- a dog? Or maybe a feline! I can be a fish too...perhaps, a mermaid or something! Ahhh! That would be so, so, uber-romantic! I'd be Ariel, and you'd be my Prince Charming. And then I'd sing, 'Look at this stuff! Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete? Wouldn't you think I'm a girl...a girl who – "

"...Idiot."

"UGH! You're so mean to me...I mean, I'm just trying to be nice and all. I'm just trying my best to put a smile on your scowling face. You know, you look better with your pearly whites! And, and...h-hey! Wait up!"

A few more feet and I would've reached my classroom which was beginning to crowd with panicking students. But I decided to slow down my pace, not really certain why. Then stopping briefly, I turned my head to the mumbling girl behind me.

My jaw dropped in disbelief. Why wasn't I able to notice the sudden change while we were talking? Why didn't I even look at her face even for a brief moment?

Misao's long braid was gone.

Suddenly, I felt something twitch inside my chest as my eyes unintentionally lingered on her lustrous raven hair that unevenly ended at the back of her nape.

_Did she happen to cut it by herself?_

I tried to convince myself that it wasn't guilt that was pounding my heart at that moment. I tried to believe that, perhaps, I was merely regretful for her since I knew she took a hell lot of quality time to grow it to that amazing length. Girls like her usually held special affection and sentimental value for their hip-long hair; to cut it that astonishingly short and that suddenly must mean that there was something bothering her so much – something influential enough to cause her a masked emotional turmoil within herself. And I thought I somehow knew what it was.

"Your..." I opened my mouth to speak. "Your hair..."

Smiling her ever casual smile, she shook her head slightly, her short hair waving sideways behind her nape.

"Like it, Sempai?"

I didn't know how I should answer her jolly inquiry. Should I nod my head and pretend that I liked it? Or should I simply tell her in a frank manner that it just didn't suit her at all?

Misao wasn't Misao without the long braid behind her back. Her beautiful hair was a living piece of her personality and joyful character that I've gotten used to, even if we only reunited this spring. Seeing her the way she was now brought an uncomfortable feeling to me, and I believed that her cutting of her most prized physical possession was rather an ominous sign that could spell out an imminent hostility, or perhaps desolation between us.

The school bell rang throughout the entire school. Its familiar tune signified another start of a long school day and beginning of a crammed-up Midterms Week. My classmates were finally settling down inside the classroom, with their books and notes wide open on their desks. I remembered that our first exam was Japanese with its banal structure and type of questions. On that hot summer day, I knew that it would only be a damned pain in the ass, but still I had to do well, so that I wouldn't retake any class or test during our forthcoming break.

My attention was diverted again to the smiling girl as she giggled in an irritating way.

_I think I'd get use to it though..._ I muttered to myself, looking indifferently at her.

Yeah, perhaps I would.

But even before I turned around to ignore her unanswered question, Misao responded to her own trivial query, starting it off with a hypocritically cheerful chuckle.

"Yeah, I know you don't. You don't like anything about me anyway, ne?"

Was it sarcasm or hurt that I heard from her voice?

"Well...guess I'll see you later. Let's meet up later during club activities! Yaaay! I'm so excited to see you in your cool outfit!"

And as she hopped away from me, I knew that 'twas both that trailed off in her words.

* * *

A/N: That's it for now! It's a little bit dragging because I like to develop my characters first and, well, as you might have noticed, I really, really love to tell a story in precise details. I'll try to speed things a lil faster in the subsequent chapters though. But, is this story boring you at all? Is my method of character portrayal effective enough to keep your attention? Or is it just a crappy hackneyed style? Yaaayy! Please give me a nice lengthy review whether you like this or not! Onegai yo! It's one of the best ways to improve and hone my skills! Besides, your review is like a precious drop of water for a thirsty dying man in a desert...Wahahaha! And I'm that person! XD

Btw, I wanna thank Charmed Wolf, KyteAura and evilalita for reviewing my story! Thanks a lot! I really do appreciate the time you spent on giving me a nice review! _Cries and hugs oneself_ Oh well! Please keep on reading! I'll update this as fast as I can! Mata ne! XD


	5. Eschewed

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 5: Eschewed

* * *

"Hey, how do you turn this on?"

"Oh, just press the red button..."

"Hhmmm...This one..?"

"Where..?"

"Right here, beside this black thing..."

"Ahhh...yeah, I guess. Try it."

Using her thumb, the girl pushed a tiny red button located at the rear end of a petite, yet jam-packed with extraordinary features video camera that was propped up by tripod legs made of lightweight steel. In a few moments, the newly bought high-tech gadget was brought to life, emitting a high-pitched beep that lasted for a couple of seconds. One of the latest handy cams released by Sony, the reasonably expensive device was procured to record the preparation and actual events in the upcoming Summer Party conceptualized by the Student Council. And one of its major purposes was to specifically document Aoshi Shinomori's routinely student life, including exclusive interviews with some of his die-hard fans and acquaintances.

"Alrightie then...Get ready girls..."

"Yahiko-kun, should we leave this light on?"

"Uhhmmm...yeah, I think it'd be OK. Ah! But can you just move it a little bit to your right?"

"...here..?"

"Hhhhmm...Maybe, a little bit more..."

"What about here?"

"...that's..." the boy stretched his neck from his position to check if the other student placed it correctly. "...yeah, that's perfect! Thanks, Arisa-chan!"

"No prob, dear...Hey, Tsubame-chan, we're ready, girl!"

Today was a particularly demanding day for everyone in the Student Council. Aside from the academic pressure brought by midterms, they were struggling against the ridiculously short time limit set by the school's faculty concerning their main summer event of the year. Two weeks wasn't just adequate for them to accomplish everything they had planned out to do. Consequently, they had to crunch the original three-week timetable they prepared, and increase their efficiency tenfold so as to accomplish every minute detail just in time.

"Great! Tsunoda-kun, can you call those ladies outside? We have to start the interview as soon as possible..." a slightly flustered Tsubame said as she took a pocket-size notebook and mechanical pencil with her. "Yahiko-kun, we gotta get ready...Gotta start rollin' those tapes as soon as they enter the door, okay?"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Yahiko confidently gestured to her. He brought out several lapel microphones then asked other boys to make some final adjustments in the mock talk-show set.

After a few moments, several girls walked in from the door. Apparently thrilled by the Student Council's ambitious yet exhilarating documentary-date contest involving their Aoshi-sama, they couldn't stop their garrulous mouths as they incessantly talked about their reticent prince.

"Oh. My. Gosh. I just can't believe this is happening!" one plump short-haired girl cried in utter joy, holding an uchiwa, which contained a stolen digital shot of Aoshi, on one hand. Beads of sweat bursting on her wide forehead, she vigorously fanned herself by her eye-catching fan item.

"Is he really here?" another girl, perhaps a freshman, shrieked while she tightly held a banner.

"Aoshi-sama's HERE? Ne, doko? Doko nano?" a tall slender girl suddenly shouted, slightly misunderstanding the other student's statement. Surprisingly, this caused a commotion among them, and they started to scream, mutter and even grumble in complaint, insisting that they weren't facially and emotionally prepared.

"We're gonna meet him!"

"...Is he really here? But I don't see him!"

"Girl, he's just hiding somewhere in this room. I can sense it."

"Ohmaghad, ohmaghad, ohmahghad! This is just TOTALLY freakin' me out!"

"Hey, do we get to take pictures with him? I just hate it when we do that secretly."

"I wish they'd let us do it. They have a camera, anyway, see that thing?"

"Nooo! Where's my powder? My lipstick? God, my eyes..! I don't have any make-up on!"

"Here's my brush, dear..."

"Oooohh, cool!"

"AOSHI-SAMA IS HERE!"

"EEEEHHH?"

"Whereeee? Where is he? Oh my god, I feel like I'm gonna faint..."

"Me, too! I'm like so light-headed right now...!"

"Hey, where is he?"

"Yeah, I don't see him anywhere!"

"That's right!"

"OOOPPPSSS...my bad! Thought he was that tall guy over there!"

"Girl, don't freak us out like that, ok?"

"I heard Imai-san is gonna come too..."

"Like seriously?"

"That's a rumor...I don't think so, too."

"Ahuh! She won't be able to face him again after that rejection..."

"Poor girl!"

"I have some girlfriends whom he rejected too! And I feel so sorry for them..."

"He can be cold sometimes..."

"True! But, dear, ain't he hot!"

"My goooosshh! He really is! You know what, one time I tried to peep into their clubroom as he changed into his kendo gi, and well..."

"YOU. SAW. HIM.?"

"Get outta here!"

"Well, I ain't kiddin', sister!"

"Hell, you are!"

"Did you see his six-pack?"

"Oh, oh, and the rumored ring on his nipple?"

"He has that?"

"I didn't know he has that...Sounds cool though!"

"Well, actually, I just saw his back..."

"NO WAY!"

"That's it?"

"Hey I haven't even seen his bare shoulder, so I think that's pretty cool."

"How 'bout his ass..? Oooohh...I feel like I want to touch those firm buns!"

"Naahh! That's nothing! Aim for his chiseled chest!"

"That's hot!"

High school girls could sometimes be a little bit overwhelming when it comes to boys; at least that's what Yahiko thought as he stealthily captured the girls' absurd fantasies of Aoshi. He wanted to settle them down once and for all in order to start the interview, but judging from what he unexpectedly witnessed inside the room, he reckoned that it would be better to simply roll the cameras as they babbled since that would add a Reality-TV-like atmosphere to their documentary.

"How's everything goin'?" Tsubame asked from his behind. Yahiko turned his head away from the small camera and briefly glanced at the smiling, yet tensed girl. Noticing her reaction towards the loud crowd, he chuckled softly then continued on with what he's doing.

"It's fine...I just wish they'd settle down now. We still have to record Aoshi's activites. What time would he be out?" he said, turning his gadget to various directions.

Tsubame sighed as she flipped through the pages of her notebook. "Uhhh...lunch time."

"You better send someone to his room. I heard he usually takes a nap during lunch. We don't want to see him sleeping in the video," Yahiko murmured. He pressed a small button, magnifying the scope of his shot. A separate group of girls was distributing several leaflets to other people. The sheets of paper, Yahiko learned, apparently contained descriptions and details about the Aoshi fan club they created – they were actually recruiting more students to join their fad.

"OK, I'm gonna send Tsunoda-kun and tell him to bring Aoshi here."

"You think he'd follow him that easily..?"

Tsubame shrugged, and then scratched her head for a moment. "I...I guess so. Kamiya-san managed to bring him to the meeting, remember?"

He nodded his head. After a while, he gestured to two boys, telling them to handle the chatting girls. They did his request, and in no time appeased the overexcited Aoshi fanatics. Yahiko caught a glimpse of the toned-down crowd as they sat on the monobloc chairs.

"So, can we start the interview now?" he turned to Tsubame. The girl smiled happily when she saw the participants, who were now quietly waiting.

"Absolutely!"

* * *

"Yaaaatttaaaa!"

Eyeballs rolled in disgust.

_Here we go again...Lucky me. Can't I even have a nice long nap during lunch breaks? _

Aoshi grumbled under his breath as he sat up straight on his seat. A vivacious young man, holding a fan on his hand, approached the apparently annoyed boy sitting beside the window.

"Ao-chan! Genki?" it was Sanosuke, Aoshi's "best friend" who belonged to a different class. He came to visit his friend that day, and probably wanted to keep him company for a while.

Aoshi turned his head away from Sano, and then looked outside. The sun was high up in the sky again, showering the arid earth with scorching rays of light. A patch of clouds could be seen floating calmly above while some flocks of birds soared rather leisurely with a gentle yet humid morning breeze. He shifted his attention to several students taking their lunch beneath the line of trees across their building. Some of them held books, perhaps in preparation for the afternoon exams, while others simply talked, laughed and had fun with their friends, perhaps not worried about anything at all. Aoshi sighed heavily then scratched his head.

"Hey, you had your lunch?"

He turned around, this time facing the eager boy in front of him who already placed his recognizable huge bento box on Aoshi's desk. Sano excitedly opened the lid then inhaled the tempting aroma from his delicious meal. Splitting his chopsticks into two, he quickly indulged himself in gastronomic pleasure, temporarily disregarding his friend.

After a few moments, Sano looked up to Aoshi again and grinned widely, grains of rice scattered across his mouth and cheeks. He began talking to him, even if he was currently chewing his food. "Arenn ruu kooing to raa..." he swallowed the whole thing in his mouth.

"...interview?" after finishing his question, he lifted his bento box again to his mouth and continued binging on his food.

"Interview..?" Aoshi's left eyebrow suddenly arched up in a perplexed manner.

Sano nodded his head. "Nyuu ngongat?"

"What?" Aoshi shouted. "Sano, try to even at least swallow a part of your food before saying anything. How the hell can I understand you?"

He laughed as he finished his lunch and opened the cap of an Oolong Tea bottle beside him. "Sorry, Ao-chan! So...I said, 'Are you going to the interview'?"

"What interview?" Aoshi replied. He looked at his friend who started to clean up the mess on his desk.

"You know, for the contest thing? I just heard it from some of my girl classmates. They said you're gonna appear there or somethin'. I don't know..."

"Huh?"

Sano drank his cold tea in one straight gulp, and then gently rubbed his throat to signify his quenched thirst. "Aaaaaahhhh!" he said refreshingly, putting the almost empty bottle on Aoshi's desk. "So you have no clue? That's weird...They said it's for the Summer Party that the Student Council organized."

_Ohhh...crap!_ Aoshi swallowed a lump inside his dry throat as 'Summer Party' rang bells in his head. Soon, beads of sweat appeared on his temples and slowly rolled down on his face.

"I think they're doing it now...I heard they started this morning after the first period."

_How could I even forget that thing?_ Aoshi lowered his slightly trembling head and contemplated for a while.

"Student Council is goin' crazy these days. I won't be surprised if Himura fails at least one of his midterms. It's like, they're always meeting everyday after school. Don't you think they're just overanalyzing everything?"

Aoshi started to tap his fingers on the desk.

"But I think it'll be fun! They said the party would be in one of Soujiro Seta's private beaches."

He scanned the room and surprisingly noticed that there were only a few girls. _Could it be..?_ Aoshi tried to dismiss the frightening thought that sent chills to his spine.

Suddenly, one of his classmates approached him.

"Shinomori-kun, you have a visitor..." the boy spoke as he pointed to a student standing beside the door.

Aoshi nodded his head casually then stood up from his place, leaving Sano behind. He walked lazily towards his visitor. "Yes..?" he uttered.

The boy wore glasses and seemed a little bit overwhelmed when he finally met the infamous heartbreaker in school. A small bag was attached to his waist, containing the camera he planned to use for the documentary. Moving his hand over the black container, he looked up at Aoshi and stared boldly into his cold hazy eyes. "Hi, I'm Tomatsu Tsunoda, rep from Student Council. Uhhmmm..."

More sweat rolled down Aoshi's face. Brushing it as quickly as possible to hide his anxiety, he tried to maintain his stoic expression. "And..?" he spoke.

"Well, we're actually conducting some interviews with some of your fans right now, and they told me to fetch you so you can appear in our set. We also have to start filming your everyday activities as soon as possible, because the faculty actually shortened our timetable for the Summer Party preparation. So...shall we do this?" he explained to the indifferent boy standing still in front of him.

After a few moments, Aoshi opened his mouth to answer. "Can...can you just wait here?"

"Ehh?" the boy was puzzled with his reply. "Why..? Lunch break will soon end. We don't have time to waste."

"I...I..." he stuttered as he swept his sight over the slightly crowded corridor and noisy classrooms that lined up along the hall. He checked if there were other members from the Student Council, students who might also force him to attend the interview. He badly wanted to escape from his pursuer that he planned out everything from the moment he set his eyes on his mysterious visitor. "I have to go to the men's room. Now, if you may excuse me," he lifted his arm to part his way and took off his gaze from the boy.

"But we must go now, Shinomori-kun!" Tomatsu protested as he firmly held Aoshi's arm to prevent him from leaving.

"No..." he struggled.

"We'll come back quickly anyway. Don't worry! It won't take us an hour..."

Aoshi turned his head and stared at him coldly. "Is it really that important that I'm not allowed to even pee?"

Tomatsu's cheeks flushed red when he heard his words. Hesitating slightly if he should let Aoshi leave, he finally removed his hand on Aoshi's arm and sighed in surrender. "Oh...OK, then..." he muttered reluctantly. _Now, Tsubame would surely be angry with me._ He pursed his lips into a frown then shook his head. "I'll meet you here in three minutes, all right? Don't you even dare run away, Shinomori-kun," he tried to warn him.

"Aa..." he replied as he turned his back from him and walked off.

Scratching his head in disbelief, Tomatsu wanted to convince himself that he didn't see a sly smirk on Aoshi's face before he headed off to the bathroom.

* * *

"Are you mad?"

She didn't reply, her forehead lying flat on her desk.

"Who told you to do that?"

Sweat was dripping on her temples and neck.

"It's not that I don't like it or anything...but..."

Lifting her hand, she brushed off the warm droplets on her sticky hot skin.

"...it's strange."

She sighed heavily as her breath slightly formed a fog on her book's plastic cover. "I know, Sou-kun..." she murmured. Misao finally looked up at her classmate and sat properly on her seat.

"Then why did you do that?" the boy had a concerned expression on his face.

She glanced at the wall clock in front of her and sighed again. _He's probably dozing off or something right now,_ she mused.

"Well...I just thought that it'd be easier to do Judo if I had short hair, that's all," she tried to explain.

"C'mon...I don't buy that, Mi-chan," Soujiro muttered as he stared at the frowning girl in front of him. "You grew that since you're a child!"

"Well, sometimes you just want to have a change."

"Not this sudden..."

"Hey, I know what I want, so just cut it out."

"I'm just saying that you shouldn't have done it!"

"Well, surprise, Seta Soujiro! My hair's short! The long braid's gone!"

"Yeah, yeah, that's funny, Mi-chan..."

"What do you want me to do? Glue back my hair?"

"I wish you could do that," Soujiro retorted.

"You know what? If you really like my long hair that much, I'll bring it tomorrow and give it to you as a present. Would that appease your emotions?"

The boy was surprised at his friend's bitter reaction. He wondered why she was acting weird lately. He merely wanted to know her problem. He merely wanted to offer his help.

"Did Aoshi do something to you?" he asked as he looked at her intently.

Her eyes widened in shock when she heard Aoshi's name, Misao sighed again then placed her hot forehead back on top of her desk. "No...He didn't do anything to me."

Soujiro knew she was lying. "Seriously?"

"Yeah..." she murmured. She shut her exhausted eyes and felt a little bit sleepy. "...and call him 'Sempai', Sou-kun. He's older than you. At least give him some respect."

"Yeah, right..."

And then neither of them spoke after that.

Confused at the situation she was in, Misao silently contemplated, her forehead resting on her table. She could feel some sweat rolling down on her warm nape. Having a very short hair was a first for her, and she definitely felt uneasy with her new hairstyle. But Misao figured that somehow it might do something good to her. _At least I can wash my hair everyday now, unlike before...I only washed it every month..._She remembered that with her long braid, a huge bottle of shampoo usually lasted for only a week. _Besides, shampoo's like...expensive nowadays..._Misao listed in her mind the reasons that could justify the impulsive decision she's done. _And! And! Short hair is popular now...Long braids are...yeah, they're just too old. Granny's favorite thing..._She thought. _It's also much easier to do Judo...When I had that-that braid, my club mates always complained. Well, not Soujiro, of course...But then, yeah. I think it should be fine. Right, Misao?_

"Did he reject you?"

She opened her eyes when she heard her friend's question. His question sent shivers to her spine, making her tremble momentarily. She didn't lift her head to look at her friend. She thought that he was simply being too nosy in her personal matters, annoying her so much.

"No, he didn't." Misao answered. It wasn't what she expected to come out from her mouth, but perhaps after thinking it over, she managed to accept the truth behind her reply. _Naahh...Aoshi-sempai didn't reject me. He just didn't remember that we had to meet that day in his classroom._ And it was the sole consolation she could give to herself.

"So you cut your long braid simply because you want to?" A mocking tone emanated from Soujiro's sarcastic words.

"It's summer..." she reasoned out. "You don't know what it's like to have a long hair. It's just too hot."

"But you've had that since you were a kid," he reiterated.

Still not lifting her head from her desk, Misao answered back, "Global warming, Soujiro...Earth's temperature has increased dramatically since I was born."

"You loved that hair, didn't you? You always told me before that you won't cut it for life," he protested.

"Well, sometimes you also lie to your friends...I was just probably kiddin' that time..."

"Yeah, right..." Soujiro snapped.

Misao didn't answer him, feeling somehow tired and sick at their conversation. She allowed herself to wallow in her own reverie. Surprisingly, her stomach grumbled, loud enough for other students to think that a thunder flashed across the summer sky. Putting her right hand over her belly, she could feel the aggravated churning inside. She was very hungry, yet she didn't want to eat anything at all.

Suddenly, a warm gentle hand held her shoulder. Misao looked up and was startled to see Soujiro smiling, his aura completely changed.

"C'mon, let's eat lunch..." he said happily, as if no argument took place between them.

She wanted to refuse Soujiro...

"Well, all right, Sou-kun. I was actually waiting for that."

But her stomach tremendously ached for a delicious free lunch. Misao finally stood up from her seat, and after wiping sweat on her head and neck, they walked out of the classroom gladly as they headed for the cafeteria.

* * *

Footsteps echoed along every hallway in the school as each member of Tsubame's committee tried to search for Aoshi Shinomori, who managed to flee from Tomatsu Tsunoda. Realizing that Aoshi had been gone for more than ten minutes, Tomatsu hurried back to the Student Council's reserved room and explained the critical situation to Yahiko and Tsubame. The two leaders for Shinomori's Documentary-Dating Contest were shocked to hear the heartbreaking news, and in an instant ordered their other members to look for the missing man while they continued the interviews and audition for other girls. They somehow anticipated that Aoshi would not cooperate easily with their plans, but they didn't expect that he'd completely hide away from them.

"Did you see him?" a boy called out.

"He's not here in the second floor," one girl replied as she went downstairs.

"He's also not in the parking lot..." another said.

"Keep on searching...And ask the teachers if you have to!"

Students ran around everywhere, panicking like their lives were in danger. They invaded each classroom they saw and ransacked each locker and secret room they could find. However, to no avail, they still didn't find what they're looking for.

Soujiro and Misao just bought their drinks from a vending machine when they noticed the commotion that was happening. Wondering why everyone seemed so agitated, they decided to simply ignore them and eat their lunch, until two frustrated students stopped before them and started their hasty interrogation.

"You seen Aoshi Shinomori?" the boy asked.

His name rang inside Misao's head. "No, why? Something happened?" she asked.

"He's gone off somewhere. We need him." The other student replied.

"Why do you need him?" Soujiro asked too.

"Ahh, never mind!" the students turned around and abruptly left them, without even answering their question.

Soujiro scratched his head then shrugged. Suddenly, as if something struck his mind, he turned his head to Misao and smiled happily, "Hey, you feel hot, right?" he asked. She nodded her head.

"I know where we can eat!"

"Where..?" Misao questioned him, clueless to what he was thinking.

Soujiro took her left hand and excitedly dragged her along with him. "Let's eat at the auditorium!"

"Hey, we can't do that!" Misao was shocked to hear his idea.

"It's all right...we'll simply hide it. Besides, there's no one there at this time."

The two students scurried off to the school's auditorium which was located in separate building. After a while, they were soon able to reach the overwhelming place and stealthily entered through one of the doors.

"Come, Misao...Here..." Soujiro spoke softly as he guided his classmate through the dim passage. Misao held his hand tightly as she followed him. The school auditorium was a sanctuary from the summer heat, although it was definitely forbidden to eat or drink inside. But Misao pondered that eating her lunch didn't really matter that much compared to cooling her extremely hot body. It was all what she needed that moment, and perhaps a drop of water to dampen her arid throat.

As soon as they reached a nice position, they settled down on the comfortable theater seats and relaxed. "Waahhh! This is awesome, Sou-kun! I could feel the air conditioner from here..." Misao ecstatically muttered as she shut her eyes and savored the cool air caressing her sweaty skin.

Soujiro simply stared at her happy face and smiled sweetly. Then, he turned his attention to some people who were surprisingly performing on stage at that moment.

A group of students was apparently practicing ballet; he realized this once the music started and several girls came out from the curtains.

But as he accidentally shifted his sight to one particular spot, Soujiro was astonished even more.

Amidst the dim lights that barely lit up the whole auditorium, he noticed a familiar young man quietly standing on one corner, about 20 feet from the stage. He was intently watching the students who were dancing, very much absorbed in their skillful performance.

And then Soujiro realized that the man was actually smiling – a smile that he never once saw on his stoic countenance.

_Aoshi..._ he thought to himself, completely ignoring the relaxing girl sitting comfortably beside him.

* * *

A/N: I'm so sorry it took me a while to update this. Anyway, hope you liked it! I'll try to edit and proofread it later, ok? And don't forget to give me a review! Please! Please! XD Thanks for reading!


	6. Crushed

A/N: Ahooy! I'm back. Thanks for reading the previous chapters of this story! Well, I figured that I need to post this chapter quickly since I don't want to lose my inspiration for this fic. Nyahaha! Anyway, I've been listening to 3G's song "Crush" (Princess Diaries Soundtrack) lately, and trying to exhaust some ideas and fluffiness from it, though I'd probably include it in the final chapter of my story (Oh yeah, I'm really doing my best to finish this! Hopefully...). So, please read this one and leave me a nice review! Alrightie? XD

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 6: Crushed

* * *

The hour hand struck nine o'clock, echoing an eerie sound within the Student Council's spacious meeting room. Kaoru Kamiya, president of the said club and overall coordinator of an upcoming Summer Party event, woke up from her catnap; with droopy eyes involuntarily scanning her unusually peaceful environment, the exhausted girl realized that night had already visited, and she should be going home. Stretching her arms and limbs in a mannish manner, she yawned contentedly then sluggishly pulled herself up from the wooden chair. Her left hand automatically groped for head, scratching her lustrous pony-tailed raven hair into a clump of mess. Like a boy who just recently stirred from his slumber, Kaoru picked up her school bag while she turned her head around one more time, making sure no one else was left inside the room.

It had been a very long and fatiguing week for everyone in the school because of the midterms, and probably since most students couldn't wait for summer to begin. However, Kaoru Kamiya believed that the week had been particularly stressful for Student Council members, mainly for her as she was the chief conspirator behind their extremely ambitious Summer Party proposal. She vividly recalled how the faculty strongly criticized and inconsiderately accused their project as 'preposterous' and 'inconsequential' to the entire school's welfare. Moreover, she could still precisely remember how these cunning adults regarded the idea as a mere waste of time and money, considering that Inter-High Championships was only 2 months away. It was only after Himura Kenshin, Student Council's Vice President and apparently, the school's number one genius, exclusively discussed the matter with the principal and selected faculty members that their bold plan eventually won the favor of most professors and school officers.

_Tsk...Himura-kun..._

Kaoru shut the door behind her then started to walk along the empty school corridor. After passing several deserted freshmen classrooms, she turned to her right then went straight to the shoe shelves across the building's entrance/exit doors. Reaching her destination, Kaoru stooped down carefully to replace her school slippers with her old worn-out sneakers. Then, she exited through the glass door and headed to the bicycle parking lot.

As she strode along a dimly lit path, she heard several muffled voices and various sounds from a distance. Realizing that those came from students training in the school's large open field nearby, she simply ignored them and reached for her bicycle.

Shizuoka Senior High was the most prestigious private high school in Kanto region, making it every student's dream school. It acquired such prominent status among hundreds of elite schools in the area, since 'twas a familiar home for child prodigies, accomplished artists, outstanding athletes, exceptional teen idols, and affluent kids. Ironically, attaining the most sought-after position in the most influential and controversial organization in her school, Kaoru was beginning to despise her extremely stressful job since meeting everyone's highly meticulous expectation became an implicitly mandatory thing in their club.

_Darn it!_

Cursing silently in her disorganized mind, she continued pedaling her rusty old bike until she halted to a stop. She agonizingly waited for the red light to turn into green. Nausea was beginning to shake her head violently that in a few more minutes, she thought, she would pass out. As soon as the green signal lit up, she pedaled faster while breezing through several streets and dark alleys, until finally she arrived at her humble house.

Friday nights were supposed to be savored and enjoyed. God created them so that busy salary men and fed-up students like Kamiya Kaoru could relax and anticipate for a peaceful and more pleasant weekend. She wanted to convince herself that tonight would be such night, yet as she threw her frail body on a rolled out futon inside her small room, her thoughts betrayed her once more.

"Kaoru-chaaan! Tsubame-chan is on the phone for you! Pick it up, dear!" her mother's high-pitched voice pierced through her shoji door. Hearing this, she lazily pulled herself up and walked over to a cordless phone carelessly strewn on top of a messy study desk. She placed it beside her ear then muttered a few words.

"Hey, what's up?" she said, trying to hide the exhaustion from her voice.

"Ohh! I'm glad you answered Kamiya-sempai! Uhhmmm...I called because Himura-sempai instructed me to tell you that we will have a meeting tomorrow at school..." Tsubame explained.

"Meeting..?" a hint of surprise and disgust became obvious in Kaoru's tone. Thinking that her sempai might be extremely exhausted, Tsubame tried to explain everything carefully as she chose her words.

"Ahh...yes! It's not really that long, Sempai. I presume it will only last for a few minutes. We just have to go over our schedule for next week and check if all our preparations are right on track. In my opinion, we're doing absolutely great," she enthusiastically told Kaoru. "Well...except for Aoshi-kun's documentary-dating contest...Yahiko-kun and Tsunoda-kun are really struggling to record his everyday life since, as you may already know, Shinomori-sempai's always hiding from them. But other than that, everything should be fine. So don't worry too much!" Tsubame thought for a moment if it was better not to include her last statement.

"Then why have a meeting?" Kaoru suddenly retorted. "We can do it next Monday anyway. What's the rush for?"

Listening to an unusually irritated Kaoru proved to be uneasy for Tsubame as she rarely heard her like that. "Well...Himura-sempai told me that Yukishiro-sensei will also come, so...I guess, it is that important."

A few moments of silence passed between them. Tsubame already wanted to hang up in order to avoid Kaoru's sudden burst of anger, but she eventually thought that she should instead wait for her sempai to end their conversation.

"All right..."

Kaoru's voice echoed a defeated soul.

And even before Tsubame could say 'Good night' to her, Kaoru instantly pressed a red button on the phone, ending the girl's call. Then, she threw herself carelessly to her futon and immediately succumbed to sleep.

* * *

He woke up to the sound of his alarm clock. Glancing at his side, Seta Soujiro extended his left arm and groped for the snooze switch that could save another extra five minutes of his precious sleep. His fingers lightly brushed on a protruding button then he rolled over to the other side of his king-size bed and attempted to sleep.

Suddenly, a series of loud knocks came from the door. He immediately forced his droopy eyes to open, and sat up straight on his bed.

"Soujiro-sama!"

Sighing heavily, he put his slippers on and walked away from his bed, his shiny black hair ruffled in a mess. As he reached a huge wooden oak door and turned its golden knob, an old lady wearing red kimono suddenly rushed in.

"Soujiro-sama, it's time for your hot morning bath," the old lady's loud hoarse voice slightly hurt his ears.

"Uhhmmm...can we do this later? I would really appreciate it if you'd spare me five more minutes of my sleep. You see, last night, I already got to bed at..."

"Do you know what time it is?" she curtailed his immediate reasoning.

He paused briefly at her commanding presence. Kanna-san, a distant relative of Soujiro's grandmother, has faithfully served their prosperous family for god-knows-how-many-years-now; she became the absolute authority in the mansion after his parents, and thus unquestionably involved herself in any matter of consequence concerning each member of the household. Every morning, she would rise from her bed at an incredibly early hour and make sure that all maids and servants are altogether ready to attend to their family's needs. It was definitely more than what they asked of her, and yet she would tell them that she merely did everything out of her personal whim, an old granny's caprice per se. "I believe it's..." he scratched his head for a moment then sighed. "...I'm late for my appointment, am I not?"

"Yes, my dear master," the old lady grinned broadly, showing off several wrinkles and creases on her aged skin. "I already asked the chef to prepare your favorite meal..."

"And what is that?" he asked plainly.

"A piece of toast and a cup of espresso..."

"Perfect!" he turned his back from the old lady then strode cheerfully into a lavish walk-in closet across his bed. After a few minutes, he appeared with his school uniform while combing his scruffy hair by his fingers. "Kanna-san, do you know where I placed my bike keys?"

"Don't you usually leave it in the lock?"

"Ahh! Perhaps..." he uttered as he picked up a brown back-pack strewn carelessly on the carpeted floor.

"Will you leave without taking a..."

"...a bath?"

"Yes, my dear," she spoke, trying to hide her astonishment.

"Naahh...I'll take it later. We're gonna have a club practice today, so I'd probably get dirty again." It was a shocking answer that the old lady never expected to hear from a decent young man like Soujiro, and just like any other curious parent, she wondered what kind of ridiculous 'values' he learns from his outstanding senior high school. However, before she managed to voice out her growing concern, her young master opened the bedroom door and smiled happily as he said his last words.

"Besides...let's save some water, Kanna-san."

* * *

She quickly grabbed his obi, preventing him from executing his meticulously planned maneuver.

_One..._

_Two..._

A surprise attack by his left leg almost caught her off guard, causing her fingers to slip from his left sleeve.

_Shoot! _

Regaining her balance, she propelled her petite yet agile body against his broad stone-hard chest and managed to skillfully shove him to the tatami mat.

_Hahaha! Sucko! _

A hard-earned smirk evaporated from her overconfident countenance as his muscular arms eventually entwined around her neck and started to choke the life out of her.

_Ahhh..! I c-can't...bre-breatheee..._

She attempted to wrap her legs around his torso, clutching the quilted sleeve around his suffocating arms as she flung her limbs that ached for revenge.

_Damn you..._

His knees were up on the ground, and he was able to reverse their positions within fleeting seconds, sensing the taste of victory that lurked within the walls of their dojo. He stared audaciously at those huge dauntless sapphire orbs that spoke well of his opponent's resolute determination to win.

_Crap...I must finish this._

She shut her eyes tightly and focused all of her strength to that one last ace she had.

_If I can't do this, how could I win the gold?_

It was his utter chance to show his absolute superiority and unparalleled skills; today was the most opportune time to regain his colleague's respect and let everyone know that never again would a skinny girl beat him in his field of expertise. He held the neckline of her thick cotton jacket, fastening her black obi on the other hand. And now, the moment of truth...

_Three!_

Blaaaaggggg!

A thunder of applause and incessant cheering shook the whole room. Indeed, triumph was sweet and heartfelt. To witness one's adversary fling across the air and land his immobile body awestruck on the dull green ground was undeniably more precious than to receive any trophy or distinction in a Judo tournament.

But today wasn't just that day for Yukishiro Enishi.

He stared dumbfounded at the weasel girl towering over him, grinning widely like there was no tomorrow. He had no idea how it all happened – how, after all his painstaking preparation for this skirmish, he ended up lying in the very same position he had imagined her to be in.

"Nyak nyak nyak nyak nyak!" Misao Makimachi planted her hands on her hips as she stood on her wide-apart feet. Laughing arrogantly, she tried her best to hide the dread she just felt when Enishi trapped her in his lethal arms. She could still hear the absurdly fast uneven pounding inside her chest and the relentless throbbing of her veins around her perspiring forehead. It was a phenomenal sensation she never once experienced - a very dangerous act which could've choked the life out of her at that very moment, yet altogether an incredibly inspiring and brilliant technique.

She turned her head to the boy on the ground. She extended her left arm and offered her hand to him. "Well done, Yukishiro-kun..." a taunting phrase that managed to slip from her mischievous mouth.

Enishi silently took her soft delicate hand. It was unusually warm and pleasant to his rough touch, contrary to its deceitful nature. He pulled himself up then glanced at her smirking face for a few moments.

"You're still a girl, Makimachi..." he muttered in a low voice. He ached to grapple her seemingly frail body one more time and finally knock her consciousness off; however, he keenly decided that his precipitous action should be postponed for the time being.

Misao scowled as she heard his rude words. She never got used to his hostility ever since she joined the school's infamous Judo Club. From the very first time they set eyes on each other, she felt as if she had met her destined archrival beyond those hazy emerald green windows; until later, she figured out that her intuition was utterly right. "And I'm gonna show you that I can bring home that gold, Grandpa..."

In an instant, she turned her back from him and walked away, not wanting to aggravate the tension between them. She reached her other club mates, and they received her enthusiastically while Enishi strode over to the other side of the room and allowed his fatigued body to rest.

After a ten-minute break, Hiko Seijuro _sensei_ called everyone to gather around him as he would be making a very important announcement. Hearing this, fifteen people lined up before him and adeptly knelt down a few meters away on the tatami mat. Hands on their waists, his students looked at him with that unfaltering zeal and patiently waited for his instructions.

"As you know, the Inter-High Championships will take place at the end of August..." he began. "...which means you have to train hard every single damn day until you could no longer move a muscle in your eyes." He paused as he looked at each person in front of him. "No buts, no excuses. If you don't want to compete, take off your uniform right now and don't show up your pathetic face in this dojo until the end of the tournament. Am I clear on this?"

"Yes, Sensei!" his students shouted confidently.

"Very well..." he nodded his head. "Except for Sundays, you have to come here everyday and polish your skills. I may not always be around here to guide you, but I expect that you will do your best to train yourselves and your teammates."

"Yes, Sensei!"

With that, he finished off their brief meeting as they bowed to each other.

"Makimachi!" Hiko called the only female member of their team. Misao turned her head quickly then sprinted across the room to meet her teacher.

"Well done..." he muttered, a slight grin formed in his lips. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she heard those brief yet very meaningful words from her teacher. Preventing her girly emotions from taking place, she merely smiled back and nodded her head in glee.

"Thank you, Hiko-sensei," she replied.

"By the way, I noticed that you cut your hair..."

"Ahhh..."

"Hmm...it suits you though," he frankly told the startled girl in front of him. She smiled again.

"You're the only person who ever said that." Hiko was certain that a hint of sadness echoed in her voice. Noticing this, he decided to drop off the topic and ask her another question.

"Do you know where Seta Soujiro has gone off? He does know we have a practice today, right?"

Misao suddenly realized that he was right. She was thinking so much about her sparring with Enishi that she almost forgot about her friend. Wondering where he could be, she scratched her head for a moment then contemplated quietly.

"...perhaps, he's somewhere else..?"

"I see...all right then. You may now go. If ever you meet him later, tell him to see me in my office," he said. She nodded her head. Hiko turned his back from her then walked towards a small room located at the other end of the hall.

_Where could he be?_ She mused. Her eyes swiftly glanced around the spacious training area and scanned every present person's face to make sure that Soujiro was definitely absent from their meeting. _Fifteen people, including myself...Let me see..._

_There's Michi-kun, Arai-kun, Takeda-sempai..._she thought quietly, her legs starting to move on their own, gliding her through each vacant spot on the tatami-covered floor. The huge wooden door suddenly opened and a couple of boys carried their bags as they left the place.

_Ichikawa-sempai, Makoto-kun, Arumi-kun, Noda-sempai, Takuro-kun..._she carefully took note of their names before they managed to disappear from her sight. Misao turned her attention to another group of boys who convened around a small water dispenser near Hiko-sensei's private room. Ignoring their joyous reverberating guffaw, she tried to recognize their names and faces as her eyes swept over them. _Chiba-kun, Mori-sempai, Kobayashi-sempai, Takagi-kun..._

"Oi, Makimachi-kun! What're ya doin' there? Meditating?" a tall guy with cropped black hair shouted at her, realizing that the girl was wandering by herself on their sparring area. Hearing his silly comment, the other boys who were drinking water laughed loudly. Misao didn't mind them at all, and simply continued examining the dojo by turning her head.

"Maybe she's reminiscing her glorious feat over Enishi earlier, right Yukishiro-kun?" another boy who was rather short for his age, insensitively joked. Once again, their guffaw relentlessly echoed throughout the entire hall.

Pretending not to hear any of their harsh statements, Enishi merely talked to Kurosagi Taka, one of his fellow club mates, and calmly expressed his disgust over earlier's match.

"Tsk...You're weak, Enishi. You can't even win against Misao-chan! Hah! Such a loser!"

_Kobayashi-sempai..._Misao mumbled to herself when she felt the rising tension in the air. She briefly looked at Enishi who stood on the other side of the room. He didn't react to what they were saying, casually maintaining his poise as he conversed with his friend, although he seemed a little bit more restless than before. Meanwhile, the others continued mocking his skill and ability as Hiko Seijuro's apprentice, indifferently throwing banters and impolite remarks at him.

"Hah! If I were him, I would've wrestled Makimachi earlier when I had the chance. That was so darn easy, yet he failed to beat her again," Takagi explained, including some arm and leg movements in his suggestion.

"Oh, and did you see his expression when he landed on the floor? That's like the ultimate thing, dude!" Chiba laughed in a taunting manner with his mouth wide open.

"Cut it out, guys," Misao surprisingly retorted.

Enishi heard her speak and was a bit startled.

"Oohh..." Chiba said. "Ohhohohoho! I can't believe you're on Yukishiro's side, Mi-chan."

"I'm not on anyone's side, 'kay? I just want you to stop, that's all."

"Then why do you want us to stop?"

"Because you're too loud."

"Hah! We're too loud? Guys, this girl is insane..."

"Hey, I'm not insane!" Misao's tone suddenly rose.

Chiba stepped forward and approached her, his eyes ferociously staring at her whole being.

"Well, why the hell butt in? Do you have a crush on Yukishiro that's why you're protecting him?"

"Hell nooo!"

"Then mind your own business," he snapped angrily. With that, he pushed her petite body with his right hand and chuckled sarcastically. Chiba turned his back from her and eventually walked away as he muttered some words. Misao sighed heavily then rolled her eyeballs in annoyance.

_Fools! _

She eyed the entrance then started to move her body, deciding to ignore other people. _I'll just look for Soujiro..._

However, she never realized that a pair of emerald green eyes was furtively observing her every action until she left the dojo.

* * *

He finally saw her.

The mysterious ballerina whose once ambiguous face haunted him in his dreams.

The most beautiful lady he had ever seen since he breathed into life.

The sole woman who managed to capture a fragment of his wandering soul.

It was she, all along.

And yet he was a pathetic fool to not know that she studied in the very same school he was in, that she walked the same corridors and cemented paths he traversed, that she stared at the same fast-paced city located beyond the building's windows, and that she perhaps heard the same rumors and gossips associated with him.

Strange as it might seem, Aoshi convinced himself that if not for the Student Council's persistent devotion to their Summer Party idea, he would never ever meet the girl of his dreams during his entire lifespan. It merely happened last Monday, on the first day of Midterms, when Tsunoda and his other colleagues searched for him in the whole school vicinity. Lucky that he had ample time to hide himself, Aoshi coincidentally found the auditorium and decided to enter the dimly lit place. At first he thought that he was all alone in the vast empty room, until a group of people appeared, and an almost nostalgic music played in the background. He stood still near the stage and watched quietly, wondering what kind of act they would perform.

Astonishingly, a couple of female students emerged from the curtains and started to dance ballet, and amongst them, one lady effortlessly captivated his finicky attention and kept his stunned eyes from blinking even for a moment. As he watched her move with such distinguished grace, flex her toes, bend her slender elastic body, and spin in countless flawless turns on the stage, he could feel the rapid uncontrollable pounding inside his chest. His hands were cold and trembling, and he thought that his shaking knees would give in, causing him to collapse. Words were not enough to describe the intensity of his emotions at that very moment. A cocktail of exuberant feelings, accompanied by euphoria – not even close...

The unexpected meeting meant more than anything, and as he looked at her striking countenance, he realized that finally, he was able to see her genuine face. Although he had never found out the girl's name three years ago, he knew that he merely had to rely on his feelings to verify the ballerina's identity, since his heart was the only existence that never once betrayed him.

_Takani Megumi_...

Aoshi muttered to himself while he halted to a stop. He carefully got off his bicycle and held its handle, ushering it to the parking lot. Once he found a perfect place to leave his bike, he locked it up as he inserted and twisted a key in the hole. Then, slipping the key into his pocket, he took his bag from the front basket and slung it over his back. He started to walk towards the school's dojo, where his Kendo Club's practice would take place.

_Takani Megumi..._he thought again, smiling inwardly.

He recalled that it took him almost a week to find out her name, asking every person who might possibly know her. It was a pretty painstaking task, as he had to hide his true intentions and make up some stories when other people question his sudden curiosity. Luckily in the end, Sanosuke was the one who helped him with his problem. Aoshi found out that her name was Takani Megumi, and she originally belonged to Himura's class where excellent students studied; however due to some circumstances, she was demoted to Sano's section, a place for mediocre pupils, and was never promoted back. She was also the president of their Ballet Club, and as Aoshi had guessed, her club would hold a special performance sometime in the summer break and perhaps even join a contest.

_I must meet her._

Aoshi continued amusing himself with his thoughts about Megumi. He had done so ever since he saw her last Monday, contributing to a sudden increase in his interest and concentration in studies, which in turn aided his success through all his midterms.

He walked leisurely under the scorching heat of a Saturday sun. But this time, he managed to bear the extreme heat and excessive perspiration dripping from his scalp and forehead, since he wallowed in his own reverie and merely dreamt about his long-lost ballerina.

Perhaps, it was also the same reason why a few hundred feet from where Aoshi stood, a girl's muffled cries never penetrated through the barrier that enshrouded his consciousness.

Misao Makimachi struggled to break free from a powerful arm that strangled her neck in a very familiar way as she clasped the huge rough hand that covered her screaming mouth. She was just about to leave the school when this stranger suddenly appeared behind and grabbed her on her waist.

And before she knocked out unconscious, the man whispered something to her ear – a declaration of absolute hatred which she had just heard earlier that day.

"You're still a girl, Makimachi..." he muttered in a low grunt.

Then all was lost.

* * *

A/N: Ohh myyy...I'm sorry it took me quite a while to update this. Anyway, I made it longer so you won't be that sad. Hehehehe! Did you like it? Huh? How was it, guys? Oh please, please, give me a review, will you? I need your comments, criticisms and praises (if there's any...) Nyahahaha! I will be away from my computer for three days so the earliest possible day I could update this is on Saturday. Nyehehehe! But you'd wait, right? Yaay! Thank you very much! Please review! XD


	7. Shattered

A/N: Yay..I'm so sooorryy for the long wait. I have not updated this for more than two years now and I feel bad. Really... ~_~ Well I still hope you would have the time to read and leave a comment on my story. Can I count you on that? Sore de wa...

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 7: Shattered

_

* * *

Where…where am I?_

Light flooded her eyes.

Misao instantly covered them with her hands and for a while did not move in her position. She realized that she had lost her consciousness back in the school's bicycle parking lot and even remembered that someone strangled her, knocking her out.

_What that man said…earlier…_

'You're still a girl, Makimachi...'

_Huh! C-could it be that…? _

She shook her head and tried to dismiss her thoughts. She convinced herself that perhaps it was only mere coincidence that her captor said the same words that Enishi muttered in their practice a while ago.

_I don't believe this... S_he tried to fight the tears that were about to roll down on her flustered cheeks. Her whole body was shaking, trembling in an unfamiliar fear that crawled down her spine. She was trapped inside a small room, her hands and feet had visible rope marks on them. She tried to shout for help, but her voice was only drowned out by the thick walls that surrounded her in that prison-like area.

"H-HELPPP!"

She screamed.

"HEEEEEELPPPPP!"

She pounded on the cement wall before her, hoping that someone would hear her beyond that room. With clenched fists, she hit the wall with full force, attempting to apply what she learned in her years of Judo training and use it to somehow find a way to escape from that cramped place.

_Damn it! I feel like I'm just wasting my energy...C'mon!_

"SOMEBODY!" she shouted once more. She began to kick the wall in front of her although she knew that it would not be enough to break down the immense obstacle towering before her.

"DAAAAAAMNNN ITTTTTTTT!"

She cursed as she let out her last punch and struck the wall. Soon, tears started falling from her eyes and began to rush down her cheeks.

"Damn it.." She sat down on the floor and wiped her tears by her fingers as she sobbed like a lost child. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damnnnn..."

_What did I do to deserve this?_

Suddenly, something creaked.

A stream of light flooded the room. Misao stood up and saw an opening on what seemed like a huge metal door. She wondered why she did not notice it earlier when she pounded her fists on the wall.

"H-hello?" She approached the source of light and noticed that a pair of emerald green eyes was intently watching her from the hole.

"Hey..." she spoke, trying to stop herself from crying. "Please, let me out of here...Please!"

But hope would only prove to be elusive to her as the man on the other side of the door started to utter words that almost shattered her into pieces.

"Let you out? Are you crazy?" he spoke.

Her heart started to race inside her chest. It was her captor.

"Please...let me out! I didn't do anything wrong to deserve this," she cried helplessly.

But instead of pity, she only got mockery and insults from the man.

"Not in a million years, Makimachi...You're gonna rot in that place, and I'll make sure that you never step foot in the dojo again." The guy let out a wicked chuckle as he continued to stare into her ocean blue eyes.

"And your gold medal..." he said maliciously, "...is mine."

* * *

"You're telling me it won't work out?"

"Yes, I am."

"YOU, of all people in this school, are telling me that my plan is a total failure?"

"Yes, Kamiya-san..."

"BUT YOU WERE THE ONE WHO SUGGESTED THAT THING IN THE FIRST PLACE! Don't you remember?"

"I think you're mistaken. If I can vividly remember, I only suggested that perhaps it would be to our best interest if we involve Shinomori in our endeavors. You, on the other hand, took this advice one step further and created a completely and utterly despicable idea of holding a documentary-date contest. I believe you know the difficult circumstances we're in right now."

"B-but..." Kaoru tried to reason out. Yet she was simply too tired to argue with Kenshin. It was a Saturday morning, and she didn't feel like wasting her energy on such a petty quarrel. At the same time, she thought that she should have been at home, sleeping soundly on her comfy futon, but because of the Student Council's meeting, she could not stay. "And what are those _difficult_ circumstances, Himura-san?"

"Well, obviously, Shinomori-san himself is the biggest problem. He's not cooperating with us. Yahiko-kun and Tsunoda-kun have been trying really hard to record his everyday life but they only end up like paparazzi stalking a celebrity. And the female contestants...I'm pretty sure you're aware that no one and I mean NO ONE wants to give up her chance to be with Aoshi-san, even if that chance is only being with him for a day. That's why no matter what we try to do to convince them that there can only be three finalists, they wouldn't budge. And then,"

"Okay, wait." Kaoru interrupted Kenshin. She lifted her head and looked at him. She was tired, too tired that she could not process what he was telling her. She was trying to sort out her thoughts, although she could not really do anything much with them. "Uhhhm..." she exhaled then paused for a second.

"C-can I...can I just take a break for a few minutes? I just need air," she looked at the Student Council's Vice President and felt defeated.

_It could have been you..._

Kenshin was surprised at her reaction, but he simply nodded his head.

"I understand, Kamiya-san. Please..." he gestured for her to take a moment and leave the room. "I'll continue to discuss other matters with our members."

"Arigatou." Kaoru turned back then hastily left the room. She couldn't stand that meeting any longer. It was just too much. The pressure and tension that have been building up for the past week have finally been weighing her down.

_I don't understand him at all!_ She thought to herself as she walked across the hall and went to the drinking fountain. She pushed a button and drank water. _He could've been the president for all I care!_

She wiped her lips as soon as she finished drinking. Then she went to a nearby sink, turned the faucet on and splashed her face with warm water. She washed her face several times, trying to rub away the fatigue so clearly etched on her look. _It doesn't matter now, does it? He thinks I'm not doing a great job? Then why doesn't HE do my job? Everyone likes him anyway. And I'm only some second-rate student who happens to obtain this stupid position in a stupid organization. No one listens to me. They all like his ideas. They all follow him._

She turned off the faucet and stood in front of the sink for a while. She could hear voices emanating from the classroom where they were holding the meeting. She did not want to go back and argue with Kenshin. She felt that it was only ruining her reputation as the president of the club, and that she might simply lose her members' respect if she continued to display her impatient character.

_All right...Kaoru Kamiya, you can do this,_ she thought to herself. It was time to show everyone what she was capable of. She would show them that she could be an excellent leader, worthy of everyone's trust, and just as equally effective as Kenshin Himura.

She walked towards the classroom with renewed confidence. Suddenly, a young man came out of the door, and when his eyes set on Kaoru, he quickly approached her, seemingly disturbed about something.

"President Kamiya!" the guy shouted.

"Hey, Yahiko-kun...what's the matter?" Kaoru asked him, confused at what was going on.

"We have a problem..." he started. "A very BIG problem..."

When she heard his words, she felt as if the whole world crashed onto her.

_Now what?_

* * *

'Your call has been forwarded to an automated voice messaging system...

'Hey, this is Mi-chan! Sorry if I'm unable to answer your call right now. Please leave your name and message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Ciao!'

He pushed the 'end call' button then tried calling the number for the nth time. He had been trying to call Misao since morning because he wanted to let her know that he was going to be late for their practice. Now that he has arrived at school and met with Hiko Seijuro, he wondered why he could not find his best friend even though the Judo practice has already been over for more than two hours.

_And I'm pretty much sure she told me that she would stay after practice and wait for me...Where else would she go?_

Seta Soujiro was beginning to worry. He knew very well that if there was anything urgent that suddenly came up, Misao would contact him right away and let him know. She was not the type of person to ditch someone quickly. _Plus, it was her idea that we should eat at a sushi restaurant after practice...It's not like I asked her out or anything. And I don't think she'd ever choose anything else over food. That's just impossible...Like for real._

He decided to dial her home phone number and check if she went back to her house. But, unfortunately...

"Misao-chan? Isn't she at school? She told me she would be there the whole day and that she'll head to a sushi restaurant afterward. Isn't she supposed to be with you, Soujiro-kun?" her mom asked him.

"Well, I've been looking for her for almost two hours now but I still haven't seen her. I asked my club mates if they saw her leave the school and they didn't really know...even our Judo sensei had no idea. Then I decided to call you because I thought she would have gone home to take a nap or something, but it turns out that she's not also there..." he explained. He could feel some beads of sweat forming on his temples. He didn't know why he was feeling rather uneasy and scared for Misao.

"Hhhmm..are you sure about that, Soujiro-kun?"

He swallowed a lump inside his throat and replied to Misao's mother, "Yes, Makimachi-san...Do- do you think...something bad -"

"AHH! I know!"

He was startled at Makimachi-san's reaction. He didn't expect to hear that from her. Actually, he expected otherwise. He thought that by this time, Misao's mom would have panicked so much that she would call the police and ask them to search for her daughter right away.

"W-what is it, Makimachi-san?" he asked her.

"I just realized that there is one person who could exactly tell you where Misao-chan might be," she excitedly replied.

"And that is...?" Soujiro asked, puzzled as to who this mysterious person could be.

"It's her best friend."

* * *

"That's it. I QUIT!"

"WHAT?"

"Didn't you just hear me? I said I QUIT! Or perhaps you just don't understand my English, Mister Smartypants?"

"HEY! I'm not getting you or anything that you've just said in our meeting. I'm not getting all of this. What are you trying to hint at, Ms. Kamiya?"

"You're not getting what I just said? What's so difficult with that? To QUIT means to stop, to put an end to something, to get the FUCK out of any situation which you deem pathetic or worthless. Is it really that too hard to understand for that brain of yours, Mister Genius? Or perhaps you want me to translate it in your own language – something more complex so you would get it?"

"Ms. Kamiya, I understand that you have your own insecurities and personal issues with me, but please, let's be objective..."

"Insecurities? Issues? Hey, for your information, Mr. Know-it-all, I am not and will NEVER be insecure with you! And why would I? I'm smart. Everyone likes me except for you. And I'm the president of the most influential and most powerful student organization in this prestigious school! Why the hell would I ever be insecure with you? Tell me!"

"See, you're not trying to be objective, Kamiya-san...All I'm trying to say is we shouldn't involve our personal feelings in our discussions. Every time we would talk about important things at Student Council, I feel like you would eat me alive with those scary eyes. Besides, don't you think it's more important for us to finish everything we've started? It's only a couple of weeks before summer begins. And I know you also want the Summer Party to be a huge success. So why don't we just settle down and talk things over a cup of coffee or something? Would that be okay?" Kenshin explained to her. He looked at her calmly as if he wasn't even stirred by Kaoru's sudden outburst of anger. He was trying to examine her face, almost attempting to predict what her reaction might be after he told her those things.

"You know what, Kenshin?" Kaoru spoke his first name without adding '-san.' She went nearer to him then looked him straight into his eyes.

"Fuck you."

Kenshin didn't flinch. His eyes didn't even show any reaction whatsoever. He only stared into her huge sapphire blue eyes and let himself drown in its depth.

"Fuck you and all of your bullshit. And I'm saying the truth, Kenshin. I hate you for being so full of yourself and for acting as if you know everything. I hate you for contradicting everything that I say in our club meetings and for making me look so stupid and worthless in front of those students. I hate you for proposing preposterous ideas that are not even feasible. But because all of the professors and students in this school worship you, I have to include those ideas in my proposals and make them work no matter what. You know what? I hate you to the bones. I hate you so, so much that I couldn't even stand to be near you. I hate you because you're so pretentious and you act as if you don't know what the hell is going on between us, even from the moment we first met each other. I hate everything about you, and yes, Kenshin, that means 'NO,' I don't want to talk things over a cup of coffee, and I don't have the slightest intention of talking to you from here forth."

Kaoru was trembling in extreme anger. She tried to control her emotions but it seemed that she has reached her limit. She knew she had to tell him everything that she's been feeling or else she would go crazy.

"Are you...having your period or something?" Kenshin mockingly asked Kaoru.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, a painful slap landed across Kenshin's face and gave off a loud 'whaack!' in the hall.

She bitterly stared at him – full of contempt and scorn. It was the very first time she used her hand to hurt someone, and indeed, it was her first time to hurt a man – a man like Kenshin Himura, the number one genius and most respected kid in school. She didn't know what made her explode in that manner. And she didn't know why of all days, it had to be on that hot Saturday afternoon when everyone in the Student Council was so busy preparing for the Summer Party and Inter-High School Athletic Competitions. She thought that maybe it was because she couldn't hold her anger any longer, or maybe, she was just extremely exhausted from all of the club meetings and preparations she has done so far for these school events. Nevertheless, she was definitely sure of one thing...

She felt amazing after slapping Himura on his face.

"Yes, I am," Kaoru retorted.

Kaoru turned her back from Kenshin and walked off. Left with a tremendously aching cheek and a shocked expression, Kenshin couldn't believe what just happened. He thought he did well to appease her anger. He even tried to make fun of everything she has just said, but of course it turned out to be a wrong move on his part. All he wanted was to finish their work and never involve their personal emotions in their talks. But nothing worked out according to his plan.

Yes, nothing worked out according to his intentions. And that made him so sick, and even more spiteful of the girl who just left a humiliating mark on his precious face.

"Someday, I'm gonna get you, BITCH..."

And Kenshin decided to go back to the classroom and put on his game face once again.

* * *

He closed his eyes, breathed in deeply and calmed himself. Suddenly, all of the noises around him were dissolved and became barely audible to his ears. He needed that peace, that calm which managed to amplify his senses and prepare his whole body for what was about to happen.

Moving his feet ever so slightly on the dojo's wooden floor, he tried to focus his energy on the shinai that he held in his hands. He did not tremble, nor did he feel any tension in his body. This ability to separate one's existence from the environment and recognize even the shallowest breathing or slightest movement in nature has been a product of his long rigorous training in the art of Kendo, "the way of the sword." Now, it was just about time to show his _sensei_ how much he has learned so far.

"Hiyaaaa!" he shouted. He suddenly woke up from dormancy as a surprising outburst of energy channeled through the wooden bamboo sword in his hands. He ran towards his opponent and hit the guy's helmet. He struck it so hard that his opponent almost lost his footing.

"Hiyaaa!" the other guy shouted back as he tried to hit his helmet. Unfortunately, the opponent's shinai struck the metal grilles on his men that their sensei called a foul.

He smirked as he knew very well that he already shook his opponent's confidence when he gave him a hard strike on his helmet. It was a strategy he has used for a number of times now. And every time he executed the trick, it always worked. _He's probably trembling in fear right now. I only need one more strike to finish off this match._

He lunged forward and released a thrust to his opponent's throat. And when the guy was caught off guard for a second, he managed to strike his opponent's helmet once more, ending the match in a blink of an eye.

A roar of applause greeted him and his rival once their sensei announced the winner. Once again, he felt satisfied with his victory. If he continued to win against his club mates, then he would have a great chance of winning his coveted gold medal in the upcoming Inter –High School Athletic Competitions. He was the defending champion so far, and he did not have the slightest intention of giving up his chance to become the only student in Shizuoka Senior High to have ever won three gold medals in the Inter-High School Kendo Tournament. He was really that motivated.

"Congratulations, Shinomori-sempai! You did it again!" his opponent removed his protective helmet and smiled enthusiastically. He offered a handshake to the stoic man in front of him, although he was not quite sure if his sempai would accept it.

"Thanks," Aoshi muttered. He looked down at his hand and wondered if he would reach it. He still remembered that before the match started, this little guy was boasting to everyone how he could easily defeat Aoshi in one blow. The guy even laughed mockingly together with his cohorts, but Aoshi simply dismissed his provocative actions.

"...but no thanks," Aoshi added as he turned back and headed towards the bench to rest for a bit.

"Woah! Hahaha! That's what you get for being so cocky, Nakajima-kun!" one of the members teased the guy.

Nakajima Ichiro scowled once he saw Aoshi turn his back from him. He hated him more than ever. But it wasn't Aoshi's refusal to shake his hand that pissed him off, it was his humiliating defeat in their match. He thought he finally had a chance against Shinomori Aoshi, the defending champion of the Inter-High School Kendo Tournament. But alas! Aoshi managed to finish off their battle in a couple of minutes. Undeniably, it was a marvelous feat for his sempai, and for that sole reason, Ichiro despised him and his superb technique all the more.

Aoshi sat on the bench and wiped his face with a towel. Then he took a bottle of Oolong tea and drank from it. He needed something to rehydrate himself after the match, especially on that hot Saturday afternoon.

Then to his surprise, his cellphone rang.

He was startled to hear the sound as no one really called him often. It was only his parents, Sanosuke and Misao who knew his personal number and they knew not to contact him in the middle of the day unless it was really urgent.

He grabbed his bag under the bench and searched for his phone. Once he found it, he noticed that the number calling him was not listed in his contacts. He hesitated for a while if he should answer the call. Usually, if he did not know the person, he would simply hang up and ignore the phone call. But this time was different – something urged him to push the answer button and find out what was going on. And as soon as he did so, he greeted a slightly anxious "Hello" to the person on the other end of the line.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"Shinomori Aoshi?" the person asked back. Aoshi noticed the urgency in the man's voice.

"Ahh..y-yes..How can I help you?" Aoshi replied.

"Thank goodness you answered your phone! I've been trying to reach you!" the man sounded relieved. Aoshi became more confused.

"What is it?" he asked once again.

After inhaling deeply and calming himself, the guy on the other line revealed something that sent shock to Aoshi's mind and body.

"Shinomori-sempai...Misao Makimachi is missing..."

* * *

A/N: Yaattaa~ I've finished this whole chapter at last! After more than two years of not updating my fanfic, I've finally managed to upload another chapter. I'm so sorry for the long wait.. :(( But I really hope you like my story. Please don't forget to leave a comment, okay? Ja ne! XD


	8. Deserted

A/N: Another chapter! I really apologize for not quickly updating this fanfic...Anyway, I hope you're liking the story so far! And don't be afraid to voice out your thoughts and comments on my story. You're always welcome to do so! Sore de wa...

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 8: Deserted

* * *

We met in junior high.

I thought she was a total weirdo back then. She did not talk to anyone, except for the homeroom teacher. She always ate her lunch alone on the bleachers, and seemed to avoid attention. She sat in the last row of our classroom and never tried to speak a word.

Everyone also thought she was weird and antisocial. Though a lot of my classmates attempted to strike a conversation with her, she would never answer back or make any facial expression. That was simply how she was, and mostly everyone in our class gave up on her...

Except for me.

We became lab partners in Chemistry one time. When our teacher announced the pairs in class, I thought it was the end of the world for me. There was no way I was going to pass that subject with an introverted weirdo partner like her. _There is no friggin way..._ I desperately thought to myself once.

But I did not lose hope. I tried my best to talk to her whenever we would do experiments in class. And as for the lab reports, I always made sure that she helped me in writing them no matter how awkward it felt for me to study with her in the library. Surely, it was tough to deal with a person like her, but I was left with no other choice. Some of my friends told me to consult with our Chemistry teacher and ask for another partner, but I guess I simply did not have the guts to dump her that easily with no valid reason at all.

"Why..." I tried to talk to her one time while we were mixing solutions in our Chemistry class. "Why wouldn't you talk to people?"

And of course, I did not get any answer.

She nonchalantly continued on with her work, not even pausing for a bit and acknowledging my question.

I sighed when I realized she was not interested at all. I was stupid to even think that she would speak to me.

"It's...It's not like I'm saying that it's bad you know," I said. "I- I know that there are some people like you who prefer to be quiet."

No reaction whatsoever.

"I... I'm not that kind of person you know...

I like making friends and I talk a lot." I scooped two spatulas of copper carbonate and put it in a test tube. Then I inserted it a one-hole rubber stopper and obtained calcium hydrate to perform a chemical reaction test on the two compounds.

I glanced at her and saw her scribbling some stuff on a paper.

"Do you have friends?"

I noticed that she stopped for a moment when I asked her that question. Then as if she did not hear anything, proceeded with her work and finished writing on the paper.

I sighed again, knowing that there was no point in talking to her. I was just wasting my time and energy, and I somehow hated that she seemed not to care at all. If she did not want me to talk to her in the first place, she could have simply told me to stop blabbering nonsense. But no... She never did. I felt as if she was ignoring me on purpose, as if she enjoyed taunting me with her apathetic responses.

After heating the test tube containing copper carbonate, I observed that a cloudy appearance formed in the calcium hydrate solution. I jotted down my observation and moved on to the next part of our lab project.

"I...I have one."

I suddenly stopped when I heard her speak for the first time. I looked at her through my protective goggles and saw her casually adding hydrochloric acid into a test tube. She looked normal as ever, but I somewhat felt relieved that she finally gained the courage to talk to someone. At least, I thought, my efforts had finally come to fruition.

"Do- do you still talk to her?" I asked.

She dropped a piece of zinc metal into the acid then scribbled some notes on her paper.

"It's a 'he.'"

"Ah...right."

"And...no," she spoke once more. "I haven't talked to him for years."

I added silver nitrate solution to a dry test tube, then sodium chloride.

"Hhmm..and he hasn't contacted you at all?" I wrote my observations on a piece of paper and examined the mixture inside the test tube.

"Unfortunately no..."

"Ehh..."

After a few more minutes, we eventually finished our experiments and lab report. Then after announcing in class that our midterm exam would be held next week, our Chemistry teacher dismissed us, and everyone excitedly went back to the classroom to eat lunch.

"Soujiro-kun! Let's eat our lunch! What do you have in your bento today?" my friend shouted from the other side of the classroom. I smiled at him then grabbed my bento.

"Prolly the same as usual.." I said.

"Awesome! Then we can have a taste of fillet...fillet...arggh! What's the name of that steak again?"

I moved my desk and chair to sit with my friend. "Filet mignon..."

"Aha! That's it!"

"His lunch always has complicated names. But besides that, I have nothing else to complain about. Soujiro's food is always the best!" my other friend exclaimed. The two boys laughed excitedly then settled down.

They placed their bento boxes on the desks, and started eating. I also did the same, but of course I had to share my meal so I cut the steak into pieces and gave some to my friends.

"Uwahh! This is delish-!"

"Thanks, Soujiro! You're the best!"

I chuckled. "No problem..."

They gobbled up their food, while I slowly chewed mine. I was trained to savor every meal and not to rush eating as my family considered it impolite. Though I never really cared about what they thought, I still maintained my good table manners, and simply resorted to watching my friends chomp on their lunches every day.

"Ohh..there she goes again.."

"Hmm?" I paused for a while.

"It's Makimachi-san! Look, she's gonna eat at the bleachers again. I mean, why can't she just stay here and eat with some of the girls?"

I looked at Misao Makimachi and saw her walk across the room, her long black braid swaying behind her. She held her bento in her hands and ignored the side-glances thrown at her by the whole class. As she left the room, everyone started chattering about her weird personality. I heard them talk about her introverted character and lack of social skills. Even my friends started discussing about Makimachi's actions, and strongly disapproved of her reclusiveness.

"Uhhmm..I'll be back, okay?"I stood up and moved my chair aside. My friends looked at me, puzzled.

"Where are you going? You haven't even finished your lunch, Soujiro."

"Yeah..it's such a waste!"

I glanced at the large window beside me and saw Misao walking across the field.

"I- I have to go. I'll back soon! You can have my steak," I said as I hurriedly walked away from the classroom.

I decided to follow Misao that day and keep her company. After all, it was my first time to hear her speak during our Chemistry class, and I felt that it would just be inappropriate to act as if we did not talk about anything in the previous period. I just did not want to end things in that way.

She sat on the bleachers and opened her bento. She gingerly ate with her chopsticks as she watched a couple of boys play baseball in the field.

"Hey!" I shouted at her. Luckily, she reacted and looked at her side.

To my utter surprise, she smiled at me.

I smiled back then approached her. This time, I sensed no shyness or awkwardness or fear whatsoever from her. She was simply sitting there, her bento on her lap, and her long braid hanging from the back of her head.

"I knew you'd come." She spoke as she turned her head away and looked back at the field.

"Really? How did you know?" I asked, quite shocked at what she said.

"Because..."she started. "I said I have no friends."

I sat beside her, and watched her eat her food. She put a lot of rice in her mouth and swallowed it quickly as if it were water.

"Well..it could've been different you know," I told her as I smiled. "I could've simply ignored you..or I could've just chosen to forget our small talk during Chemistry class."

She drank her bottle of Oolong tea then looked at me with her huge sapphire blue eyes.

I unconsciously blushed when she did that. I didn't notice how gentle her face looked until that moment.

"But I wouldn't have talked to you if you weren't different from the others," she said.

My eyes widened in surprise. I wondered for a moment why she considered me different from our classmates. "Different?" I asked.

She nodded her head then looked back at the boys who were playing baseball. Somebody made a homerun and most of the spectators suddenly cheered loudly; they were very pleased that the game turned out well.

"You're like him."

The bell suddenly chimed as its sound resonated in the whole school. It signaled the end of our lunch break, and the start of our next class in five minutes. Makimachi stood up after she cleaned up and fixed her bento. Then she smiled at me once more.

"Nice talking to you, Seta-san."

I smiled at her again, and was really relieved to see this side of Makimachi. So she wasn't totally weird after all, I thought. Perhaps, our classmates just misunderstood her, including me.

Before we left the place, I held out my hand and offered her a handshake.

"Then... Can I be your friend, Makimachi-san?" I asked her. "And please, let's drop the formalities. Call me 'Soujiro.'"

She smiled even more. She grabbed my hand and shook it excitedly.

"Of course...Soujiro-kun."

That was the first time Misao and I became friends. I still couldn't forget that day and how happy I was to see her change from the reclusive and apathetic Misao to the bubbly and energetic girl I know today. It took a while before she eventually mustered up her courage to interact with other people, but as a friend, I was really proud to see her gradually transform into a different kind of person. She gained more confidence in herself, and acquired more friends in the process. And though she has always been at the top of our class, she was able to raise her grades considerably because of the significant change that happened in her life.

However, when we managed to pass the entrance exam at Shizuoka Senior High, the most prestigious high school in the Kanto Region, I noticed another side of Misao that manifested unexpectedly – a facet of her personality that I never knew existed until that day when she composed her very first love letter to her long lost childhood friend, Shinomori Aoshi.

We were sitting inside the classroom that time, and she was scribbling something on her paper. At first I didn't have the idea what it was all about. I thought she was simply rewriting the lecture we just had in our History class. But when I sat in front of her and noticed that she was lost in her own thoughts, I realized that something was wrong.

She nibbled the tip of her pen and anxiously looked at the paper on her desk. She continued to stare like that for several minutes until she lifted her hand and vigorously ruffled her hair.

"Heya! Whaddya doin'?" I asked her.

She didn't look up. She merely ignored me.

"Oi, oi! Mi-chan, what's that, huh?"

She tapped her pen on the desk and then wrote a few more words on the paper. Somehow, her reaction that time reminded me of the first time I tried to strike a conversation with her in our Chemistry class in junior high. She completely shut herself off from her surroundings.

"Yoohoo! Are you even listening to me?" I waved my hand in front of her, trying to get her attention as much as I could.

Then without any warning, she finally looked up and stared at my face. I blushed slightly, surprised at how innocent-looking her blue eyes were. I tried to turn my head away to hide the uneasiness that suddenly showed on my face, but it was too late.

"Do you love me?" she asked.

"Eh..?" 'twas all I could say. _What!_ I thought. Then, as if the whole world blacked out in an instant, I froze in my place and ran out of words to say. At that very moment, something stirred up within me, an emotion so familiar yet different that shook my entire being. For a moment there, the times I've spent together with Misao flashed before my eyes and surprisingly made me realize the identity of that something.

_How could I have not realized all these years?_ I closed my eyes for a second then savored the feeling that engulfed my whole body and soul.

Then as I opened my eyes and stared at her face intently, I replied, "You know I do."

But what I saw right after almost broke my heart.

Her eyes widened in shock and seemed so confused. Perhaps, she didn't expect for me to answer in that way. Or maybe, she just never expected for me to have any special kind of feelings for her. After all, we have been just ordinary friends since junior high.

I forced myself to smile.

"Why, you don't believe me?" I said.

"Eh? Wh-what?" she seemingly woke up from her reverie.

"I asked you if you don't believe me." I tried my best not to show what I was feeling that time.

"We-well...of course I-I do believe you, Soujiro b-but..." I saw her glance at the paper on her desk. When I saw her do that, I clearly understood what was going on.

I pulled my face away from her then messed up her hair. "I was just jokin', Mi-chan!"

She let out a sigh of relief then smiled at me."Yeah...of course you were...hahaha!"

I stood up from my seat then held her shoulders gently. "Good luck with your love letter."

"Eh? H-how..?" she confusedly asked. I chuckled softly when I saw her reaction.

"I know you very well, Mi-chan.." I said. "It's your first love letter, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah..and I don't really know what to write."

I swallowed a lump inside my throat. "Well, who's it for?"

"Aoshi-sempai." She blushed as soon as she spoke his name. At the same time, something twitched inside my chest. "I decided to finally do it. I mean, after all I've finally found him, Sou-kun. Remember when I told you before that he's my only friend? That's because he was the only one who was able to put up with my rash and tomboyish behavior ever since I was a kid. And then, when my parents suddenly moved out of our old house and we parted ways, I suddenly felt so alone. I wasn't able to talk for several months when we left."

She choked back the tears that suddenly formed in her eyes. "And then I just shut myself off from everyone who tried to become friends with me. You know why?"

It hurt for me to see Misao in that state. It reminded me of the reclusive girl whom I first met years ago. I wanted to embrace her that time and make her stop explaining those things to me. Somehow, I felt that she was in tremendous pain, and that what she was about to do would only bring more sadness and hurt in her life.

"Why?" I said.

"Because I thought that they would just eventually leave me. And then I would be all alone again." She tried to smile. "But now that I've finally reunited with Aoshi-sempai, I just have to tell him what I really feel about him...Even though I think he wouldn't take it seriously anyway.." her voice trailed off.

I noticed the sadness that formed in her eyes. I reached out for her hands and held them tightly. I wanted to make her sure that I would always be there beside her no matter what happens.

"I will always be here for you, Mi-chan," I said gently. "Always..."

Her lips arched up and her eyes started to glimmer in happiness. "I know you would," she answered back. Finally, I walked away from her.

But when I glanced back to check on her, I saw her crush the letter on her desk and let out a heavy sigh. Once again, I felt something twitch inside my chest.

* * *

"When did you last see her?"

"Yesterday..then before we went home, she told me we should eat at a sushi restaurant after our practice today," I explained to Shinomori Aoshi as we ran around the school and searched for Misao.

Her mother told me that Aoshi-sempai might know where she was, so I called him up and asked for help. He was shocked when he heard the news from me, and he quickly left his Kendo practice to help me search for Misao.

"And then you said, her club mates last saw her today? After Judo practice?" he asked me. We knocked on the doors of the club rooms and checked if she was in one of them. Unfortunately, we didn't find her there.

"You're right. She wouldn't go anywhere for sure. She will never break her promise," I anxiously told Aoshi.

He shut the door of the janitor's room and turned to me, disappointed that we were not making any progress. "Yeah, she's not that type of person," he spoke as he let out a heavy sigh. For a moment, I noticed that he spoke of her so tenderly.

Though it was my first time to talk to Shinomori Aoshi, I have always heard from people, including Misao, how stoic of a person he was. I've heard that he would never reveal his feelings to people, that's why it's hard for them to know if he's happy, sad, or angry. But now that I've spoken to him in person, I realized how vulnerable he could get when it came to displaying his emotions, especially when it concerned his childhood friend, Misao. He definitely cared for her, even though he might not verbally express it.

"Say, do you like Mi-chan?" I finally asked him. I didn't know what I was thinking that time, but I felt that I just had to know how he felt for her.

We stopped in the hallway. I was somewhat nervous about what he was to answer.

"Do you like her, Seta-san?" he asked me back.

"Ah..." I was caught off guard when he said that. _Should I tell him the truth?_ I thought to myself. "W-well... she's my friend after all. Don't you think it's weird if I say that I don't like her?"

"I see...then I guess I like her too."

I wasn't sure how to interpret his answer. Does he like her merely as a friend? Or as a girl? What does he really think of Misao?

But I didn't ask any further questions.

"I guess we should go," I said.

"Yeah," he replied as he nodded his head. We moved on and continued our search for Misao. Then for some reason, as each second passed by, I felt anxiety growing inside me. I was beginning to worry for Misao even more. I didn't know where to find her, and I wasn't sure if she was all alone by herself.

For the first time, I was unable to do anything for Misao.

* * *

She wiped the tears that continuously rolled down on her cheeks. She hasn't stopped crying since she last spoke to her captor.

_Aoshi-sempai..._she thought helplessly as she looked around the dark cramped room she was in. She didn't know why she suddenly thought of him. But for some reason, she felt that she could only find sanctuary in his arms, just like the time when they played hide-and-seek as kids and she failed to find her way back. She remembered that it was Aoshi who had found where she was.

_Damn it...even if I heard my captor's voice, I can't recognize who he is._ She put her hands on her face and tried her best to stop herself from crying.

Suddenly, light invaded the darkness that pervaded in the room. A huge creak resonated inside, startling Misao and making her wipe her tears off quickly. She immediately stood up when she saw the huge metal door fling open.

"I'm letting you out..." a man came in and spoke to her.

Her heart pounded heavily inside her chest. It was her captor. She couldn't clearly make out his face as light was not enough to illuminate his face.

"W-what..?" she said. She backed when he walked closer to her.

"People are...shall we say, getting suspicious?" he said. "And I can't afford to ruin my reputation in this school."

"What do you want?"

He laughed mockingly then walked even closer to Misao. His pair of emerald green eyes flashed before her.

"Once I let you out of this dark room, I want you to forget about everything that happened," he suddenly grabbed her shoulders and stared at her right in her face. "And then I want you to purposely lose in the semi-finals of the Judo Tournament, understand?" He started to shake her violently. Tears started to flow out of her eyes and blurred her vision. She struggled to break free from his hands but she was too emotionally weak to fight him back.

"Who are you!" she screamed.

His green eyes looked at her directly as he tightened his hold on her arms.

"I am the one who's gonna save your ass from humiliation, Makimachi." And then without any warning, he punched her in the stomach and knocked her unconscious.

* * *

A/N: Alas! I finished another chapter. I think I'm making progress here. Anyway, please oh please review my fanfic! It would really help me improve this story! Thanks for reading, guys! Ja ne! ^_^


	9. Forgotten

A/N: Another chapter! How do you like the story so far? I apologize if it has gotten a little serious. Don't worry though! I'll try my best to inject some humor in this fic. And please don't forget to give me a review, okay? Thanks!

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 9: Forgotten

* * *

She opened her eyes slowly and felt a sudden shock of bolting pain from her stomach that traveled across her entire body. She instantly curled into a ball, like a defenseless kitten trying to protect herself from danger.

"Mi-chan!"

She heard someone shout her name. As soon as she looked up, two familiar guys came running towards her.

"Hey! What happened, Mi-chan? I've been looking for you all over the school! What are you doing here on the parking lot?"

Misao realized it was Soujiro. He gathered her in his arms and held her close to his chest. She could feel the loud pounding of his heart.

"I...I'm n-not sure either..." she forced herself to smile as her hands clutched the fabric of her clothes on the stomach area. She could not clearly remember what happened to her and how she ended up lying on the bicycle parking lot. "Sou-kun, what are you doing here?" she murmured.

Suddenly, Soujiro embraced her tightly and caressed her short black hair. His trembling hands gently rubbed her nape and did not want to let her go. "I was...I was so scared," he mumbled. For a while, he held her in that position, and she received the warmth and comfort that his strong muscular arms offered. She wondered why she felt so relieved to be beside him. Her hands loosened on her clothes then slowly reached for Soujiro's neck. Then without any hesitation, she pulled him closer to her face and stared into his eyes.

"Thank you..." she barely made out the words. Her right hand touched his cheeks and her fingers gingerly brushed away the bangs that slightly covered his eyes. Soujiro shivered a little bit when she did that. For a moment, he thought he was going to lose his mind.

"It's okay now, Mi-chan. I'm here," he smiled when he said that happily. He hugged her more tightly than ever and assured that everything was going to be all right. He was not going to let anything bad happen to her ever again.

_Soujiro..._ She thought lovingly. Her eyelids gently closed as she felt herself being lifted from the ground. She did not know why it felt so right to be with her best friend. What really happened to her? She asked herself. But it seemed as if her brain did not want to remember whatever it was that put her in that state. It was like a defense mechanism that prevented her from reliving the trauma that she just experienced. It was horrifying.

Soujiro carefully held her in his strong arms while he walked across the parking lot. She could hear him talking to the other guy who also came to rescue her.

"Thank you, sempai," Soujiro told him. "I'm really glad you helped me find Misao."

"Of course...anything for Misao," the other guy replied.

But even before Misao realized the identity of the young man who also worriedly looked for her all over the school, she felt herself succumb to the power of sleep. It has been a long day.

* * *

One week has passed since that incident.

I told myself many times that everything was going to be all right, that everything would run smoothly according to my plan.

I kept on reassuring myself that all of my hard work would come to fruition, and that I would finally regain the pride that I lost.

Until that bitch got in my way.

_Kaoru Kamiya...No, "President Kamiya" is it?_ The thought of her name was enough to ignite the anger peacefully contained within me. She has always been in my mind, all the time, ever since we were kids. And now that she has finally revealed her true colors in front of me, I simply could not remove her from my thoughts. I always had a feeling that she did not like me at all, that she was insecure and very jealous of my achievements. But never once did she show her disgust to me. She has always been kind, obedient, and reserved, a girl who knew how to carry herself and communicate well with others. We would argue over school matters sometimes, but our competitive personalities never crossed that line. Or at least, that's what I think.

I held a piece of pastel chalk in my right hand and started sketching something on the paper in front of me. It was my way of relieving stress that Student Council work has been causing me.

_Kaoru..._ Her name resounded in my thoughts again.

I continued drawing on the paper as I quietly sat on my bed. It was past eight in the evening, and for the first time in weeks, I had nothing to do. Except for some issues about Shinomori Aoshi's documentary date contest, Student Council is pretty much set for the summer break. I had to deal with Kaoru's drama for the past week, and step up to effectively run our organization. Of course, not everything went smoothly according to my plan. Members panicked and asked many questions about Kaoru's absence in our meetings. Teachers started to become hesitant about our ambitious Summer Party event, and preparations for the upcoming Inter-High School Athletic Competitions were becoming more intense. It was hell for me. And I despised Kaoru for not being there at such a crucial time.

My fingers lightly touched the strokes on the paper and smudged them to create a softer effect. I stared at the figure that I was drawing, and felt really calm. There was something about that form that made me smile inside.

_She wasn't like that before._

We used to be close friends back in elementary school. Now I don't know what happened between us. Now I don't know why she hates me this much, and why I feel the same way for her too. Now...everything is different.

I stopped sketching for a moment.

_Kaoru..._

I looked at my work and noticed the bright smile drawn on the face of a girl so familiar to me. It was warm and gentle, the kind of smile that I have always admired ever since we met. I longed to see it again. But it seemed as if this there was no point in fostering false hopes. She's been gone for years.

After I signed on the paper, I decided to put it in my collection of drawings and paintings. I stood up from my bed and opened a large closet across my room. In one corner of the closet lay a separate box of sketches and art works. I gingerly placed my latest drawing inside, being extra careful not to damage my other stuff. My eyes glanced over the old label sticking outside the box. In big round letters, the familiar name proudly stood before me. I remember that I had written it when I was seven years old. It was the first time I ever made a sketch of someone and kept it close to me.

I sighed as I touched the old label. How long ago was it since I last had a conversation with the girl in my drawings?

_And I mean a "real" conversation...not just some random talk..._ I sighed again.

Suddenly, my cellphone rang.

Startled at the sound of my phone, I quickly closed my closet and rushed to my bag. I grabbed the little communication tool from one of the pockets of my bag and quickly pressed the answer button.

"Hello?" I spoke.

"K-Kenshin..."

My eyes widened in shock when I heard the familiar voice. Why would she call me at this time? I thought to myself.

"About last week...I'm..."

"I understand, Kaoru-san."

"Huh?"

"You didn't mean it, right?"

"Well...I guess you could say that."

"You were only stressed out, that's all."

"Even if I said all those horrible things to you?"

"I don't hold grudges."

"But I even..." she paused for a while. "I even slapped you."

"I think I should get used to that. I'm a guy after all." I chuckled.

"Kenshin...No, Vice President Himura..."

"Please...we're not at school. Why call me that way?"

"I...I just feel that I have to..."

"My name is enough."

"Kenshin..."

"There...that is so much better." I smiled as I tightly held the phone to my ear. Even if I couldn't understand why she had to call me that time, I did not mind. Hearing her voice was enough to soothe my soul. As soon as she spoke my name, all my troubled feelings started to go away. _Kaoru...how could I even get mad at you?_ My eyes glanced at the closet where I hid all my sketches and paintings. I remembered the old label sticking on the box where I kept all my drawings of that girl – of Kaoru.

"Kaoru..." I started. "How come we've become like this?"

Even if I wasn't looking at her face to face, I could imagine her displaying such a surprised expression.

"What...what do you mean 'like this'?"

I sighed again. I felt like a coward for asking such a stupid question over the phone. But I guess it was better that way. I don't have the courage to talk to her in person anyway. It was the only way and only chance I could ever talk to her like that.

"Like what we are now...as if..." I took a deep breath and prepared myself. "As if we've never even met before...as if we've never even become friends..."

"Kenshin..."

"Please tell me...what happened to us?"

There was a long pause. I should've expected that to happen. After all, how could she understand what I was saying if what she really felt for me was nothing but hatred and contempt?

"Nothing happened," she sadly replied.

"W-what?"

"There...there was nothing, Kenshin.

"But we weren't like this before –"

"We never had anything before this, Kenshin. You were only my classmate, that's all."

My heart twitched inside my chest.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"I thought we were friends, Kaoru."

"I thought so, too."

"But why are you like this?"

"What?"

"Why do you keep acting as if you..." I stopped for a moment. "...as if you don't care about me at all?"

The words slipped from my mouth carelessly. It was too late before I realized what I've confessed to the girl on the other end of the line.

"Kenshin..." she spoke my name softly. "I don't understand why you're saying these things to me. Are you still upset that I said those harsh words to you? I only called to apologize and ask how everything is going along at the Student Council."

_Student Council? Is that what she only cares about?_ I angrily thought to myself.

"Never mind...I think I'm just stressed out," I snapped. "And don't worry, we're making progress."

"Good to know that. I'll be there next meeting. I really regret my actions last week."

I was about to hit the 'end call' button until she spoke up again.

"And, Kenshin...please take care of yourself."

I barely uttered a response after that. She hung up on me eventually, and I was left staring at the phone on my hand, wondering about the bizarre conversation we just had moments ago.

_You're so stupid, Kenshin._

I threw my body on the bed and buried my face on the pillow. As sleep gradually swallowed my consciousness, I kept wishing that I would see her in my dreams tonight. _Even just in my dreams..._I thought, and then light was stolen from eyes.

* * *

"If you were given a chance to spend one day with Shinomori Aoshi, what would you do?" Tsubame held a microphone in one hand as she interviewed one of the contestants sitting on the couch.

At last, she thought, for the first time in weeks, everything was running smoothly in their documentary-date contest project. Although it was hard to convince the student body that only three finalists would be allowed to actually participate in the contest, the girls conceded as they also did not have any choice about the situation. Now, they were conducting interviews to assess the participants and gain more knowledge about Shinomori Aoshi's mysterious personality.

"Of course, we're going to like, spend it in a beach resort or sumthin'. Ya know what I mean? I mean like, oh my gosh, it's Aoshi-sempai we're talkin' about here. Like he's hot...and of course I want to share kisses with him. I'm like..." the girl explained while twirling her hair on one finger. "Kyaaa! Just imagining it makes me scream like this...he's that HOT!"

"We're going to read books in the public library. I will let him read my novels and short stories, and ask him what kind of stories and books he enjoys reading. It will be a fantastic and surreal day. Love and books. It's all about Aoshi-sempai and me," another girl answered. She was fixing her eyeglasses the whole time.

"Why, we have to go to a concert of course! Rock, that is. Hell yeah, I love rock music! What bands do I like? A lot. Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Linkin Park, Incubus... What? Of course, I'm sure Shinomori-sempai likes rock music. He's that cool! I won't have a crush on someone who ain't cool. Yeah, music is my thing, you know. It's like a life force that connects everyone here on earth. It's like...like a witchcraft of some sort. Who's gonna pay for the ticket? Well shouldn't it be him!" the girl rambled on as she looked at Tsubame intensely.

Fifty contestants have completed the interview so far, and Tsubame was already calling it quits. She was getting exhausted, not because of the hot temperature in the room and the time she has spent in that place. It was because of the girls themselves who act like obsessed little fan girls. Their answers were simply incredible. She did not understand why girls liked Shinomori Aoshi very much. He was intelligent, handsome, and athletic, like a guy lifted from a Japanese manga and given life. But she knew his horrible side. He was harsh to all the girls who confess to him. Even the incident with Harumi Imai, the most popular girl in their high school, was enough to convince her how terrible Shinomori Aoshi was.

_Ugghh...I couldn't stand this,_ she told herself. She sipped some water from the bottle in her hand. As she wiped the sweat that formed on her forehead, a guy came up to her and handed her a list.

"The next set of contestants, Tsubame-chan. Good luck!" Yahiko patted him on the back.

She looked at the list and saw more names on the piece of paper. "You gotta be kidding me. I can't stand these girls, Yahiko-kun!"

"Well, I can't stand Aoshi-sempai either. We've been filming his life ever since, and you know what? Nothing special has happened so far, except for the countless confessions he got from his fans," he explained.

"What do you know?" Tsubame drank some more water from the bottle then put it aside. She glanced at the number of girls standing outside the room. They were starting to arrive again.

"Of course, he's rejected all of them. You know what he tells them? It's just a simple 'sorry.' I mean, c'mon, dude, he should say something else at least! I can't believe he could be this terrible," Yahiko complained as he prepared the camcorder in his hands.

"Do you see any potential finalist so far?" Tsubame asked him.

"Hhhmm...honestly, I have no idea what's going on with these girls. There's this interesting girl I know though. She's Aoshi's best friend. Looks like she may be a good candidate."

Tsubame's eyes widened. "Really? What's her name? What's she like?"

"She's Misao Makimachi. You know, the only girl in the Judo Club? She's also the number one student in her year."

"How come she's best friends with that stoic guy? And she's a girl!"

"I was also surprised. But from what I've gathered about her, they've been childhood friends ever since. It also seems that she has a big crush on him. I doubt that she ever confessed though. I don't think she's the type to do that kind of thing."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, she may be outspoken. But I get the feeling that she's really shy when it comes to her feelings. You know...she's pretending to be strong and all, but really she's not. It's a very interesting personality."

"I see," Tsubame nodded her head then quickly scribbled the name on her paper.

"So how are we going to choose the finalists?" Yahiko asked again.

"We have to go over the interviews and simply choose the best," she amusedly answered.

"That's it? Isn't that a little biased?"

"I guess...but isn't that how Reality Tv shows do it nowadays? They don't just randomly pick people and air their lives on national television. They choose those characters to suit their vision. That's how we're going to make this project successful, Yahiko-kun."

"But how do we pick the people?"

"Well, that's why we have you to film Aoshi's life. We pick those who have interesting relations to him." Tsubame smiled widely. She looked back at the name scribbled on the paper in her hand.

_Misao Makimachi...I wonder how you'd fare in this contest._ She looked at the long line outside the room and suddenly frowned.

"Can I call it a day?" Tsubame asked Yahiko.

"No, you can't, Tsubame-chan...Look at that line. Can you imagine what will happen if we don't follow the schedule? It's going to be a disaster," Yahiko readied his camera as he pointed to the crowd outside the room.

"Oh, Jesus..." she muttered as she went back to her seat. She looked down at the list of names and interview questions written on the paper. As soon as she lifted her face, about twenty girls rushed inside the room and sat on the couches designated to participants. She put on a wide smile but was clearly annoyed at what she was witnessing that time.

"And we're rolling in three, two, one!" Yahiko shouted as everyone went back to his station and prepared for the interview. And in an instant, the documentary-date contest interviews resumed.

* * *

She brushed her short hair with her fingers. For the first time, she felt different and empty now that her long braid is gone.

"I told you, Soujiro was the one who looked for you. I was just there because he asked for help."

Shinomori Aoshi did not look at her and simply continued writing on his notebook. She tried to sneak a peek and check what he was scribbling on the paper.

"Ehhh..." she uttered as she ran her fingers on her hair. "I thought it's because you were worried! I mean you don't have to deny it, Aoshi-sempai. I'm like that to you, too. When I don't see you around, I feel like my heart's gonna break in despair. Oh yes! You don't know how it pains me not to see you every day..."

_She's clearly overreacting,_ Aoshi thought to himself as he quickly looked up and glanced at the girl in front of him. The back of her right hand was on her forehead, and she was acting as if she were a damsel-in-distress waiting to be saved by her knight-in-shining-armor. Though he was glad that Misao was back to normal after that incident one week ago, he did not realize that she would recover this fast. Also, he almost forgot how weird Misao could actually be in front of him when she's trying to get his attention.

"What are you writing?" she suddenly asked him.

"Nothing...just a...a letter," he replied shortly.

"Oooooohhh! I bet it's a love letter! Is it for me, sempai?" she exclaimed. She brought her face closer to his as her hands slammed on his desk. He was startled at what she did and slightly blushed when her wide blue eyes stared at him lovingly.

"Idiot. Why would I write a love letter on my notebook?" he retorted.

"Aahh..but that's what I did last time! Remember when I gave you my love letter? Remember that? And remember how you forgot that I was waiting for you here in the classroom? Do you still remember that?" For some reason, Aoshi did not sense any sarcasm or hurt in her voice. He thought that she would never talk about that ever again, but here she was, being casual about it.

"Of course, I do."

"Teeheehee! Yeah that letter was from my notebook! I tore it off from my thing. Hahaha! Isn't it brilliant? I'm unlike any other girl you know!" she excitedly said.

"Well, I'm surprised," he replied sarcastically. He looked back at what he was writing. No, it wasn't a love letter. But it was Megumi Takani's personal information which he got from Sano. Sano was doing all the work for him, while he was waiting for the right time to confess everything to Megumi – how she had captivated him ever since he saw her dance ballet years ago, how she haunted his dreams every night and made his heart pound so fast in his chest. These things, he thought, must be communicated to this woman – this woman whose graceful moves had captured his soul.

"By the way, I haven't gotten your answer yet from last time," Misao interrupted his thoughts.

"Hm?" Aoshi concentrated on what he was writing.

"I mean...I know you forgot that I was waiting here last time, but since I ran away that day, yeah I know that was really foolish of me, we never really got the chance to talk to each other about my...you know, my – my feelings?" she explained to him.

Aoshi paused for a moment when he heard her words. _Why so serious?_ He thought. He put his pen down on his notebook then stared at her directly. He saw that the sparkle in her eyes had vanished as soon as she started talking. He also noticed that she stopped messing with her short hair.

"What of?" he muttered.

"Well, I wanted to tell you that day that uhmm..." she took her eyes off him and glanced at her side. "You know...I really have a big crush on you. I mean, well, you see, I'm not like other girls. I've been your friend for years, and I know you really well. We get along together. You saved me from – from that horrible incident, and...and I feel like we look really good together, don't you think? I mean, oh my gosh I'm uttering nonsense, anyway, I just wanted to say that I like you and that I feel like this thing is really...how should I put it? Uhhmm..." she paused then timidly looked at his face. "I feel like this is more than just a crush."

He did not utter anything.

She stared at him intently, preparing herself for what she's about to hear from her Aoshi-sempai.

He noticed the seriousness in her eyes, and the way she held her hands together.

She swallowed a lump inside her throat and started to feel nauseous. _Am I ready to hear this? What am I doing? Ugh..._

Suddenly, a sarcastic chuckle broke the silence that ruled between them. As soon as she heard this, Misao's eyes widened in shock, her hands started to tremble more than ever, and her head ached so much.

"That was it?" Aoshi said as he laughed like a naughty selfish boy.

"Wha- what?" Misao could barely utter a word.

"I've heard that from you ever since we were kids. You're telling me that was what you wanted to tell me that day? Seriously?"

She nodded her head. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Give me a break, Mi-chan. You should stop this nonsense right away. We're growing up. All along, you still think that you like me, that- that you have this big crush on me. Well, surprise, surprise! You just look up to me because I'm like a brother to you, because I protect you like any brother would to his siblings...You're clearly mistaken. How long are you going to be like this, Mi-chan? We're not children anymore. I'm going to college next year, and you're going to stay here and enjoy your life as a high school student. Do you even realize that? I'm not going to be beside you forever. So grow up and stop whining over this thing," Aoshi erupted like a volcano that has been dormant for decades. He stood up and slammed his hands on his desk as he looked at the girl in front of him. Misao has never looked so frail and vulnerable before.

He wanted to turn his eyes away and not see her in such a distraught state, but he simply could not do it. He didn't mean to hurt her. He just didn't know why he acted like a mad man and started harassing her with those mean words. Usually, he would just dismiss her in this kind of situation.

Suddenly, tears started to fall from Misao's eyes.

"We can't be together forever, Mi-chan," he added. "I can't always be there...to protect you."

She didn't say anything. She simply looked at him.

"I'm..." Aoshi hesitated for a while. _Should I say "sorry?"_ _But I feel like it would be too cruel for her._

"I'm sorry."

Without any warning, Misao ran away from him after uttering those words.

Aoshi was left in the classroom, wondering why after what happened, it was he who was hurting so badly. It didn't feel right.

"DAMN IT!" he cursed as he threw his notebook across the classroom.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! So how did you like this chapter? I'm glad that I'm making progress here. I wanted to speed things up. Please leave a review! XD


	10. Numbed

A/N: Another update! Woot! Woot! Oh btw, thanks for those who reviewed so far: Artemys Ichihara, Pinaydilag and ShyGirl2008. XD Your words mean a lot to me! *sobs* I really hope I could finish this fanfic by the end of the summer. It's been almost two years since I started writing this one. I don't want to let it go to waste.

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 10: Numbed

* * *

She grabbed the clothes of the guy in front of her and knocked him down in an instant. As soon as she towered over him, a roar of cheer and applause resonated from the crowd. She turned her back then casually walked to the bench where Hiko Seijuro, the Judo Club's adviser, was sitting.

"Not bad, Makimachi-chan," Hiko praised her. He offered her a bottle of oolong tea, and she received it gratefully. "You haven't lost your touch."

"What are you saying, sensei? Don't flatter me too much. You know I get too proud of myself sometimes," she joked as she drank her tea. She picked up the towel on the bench and put it over her head. As she sat beside her sensei, she noticed that two other guys started to practice on the mat.

"Do you think you could get the gold medal this year?" Hiko asked her happily.

She did not reply right away when she heard his question. She was suddenly reminded of the incident where she was kidnapped and threatened by someone from the Judo Club. Her captor clearly told her that she should purposely lose in the semi-finals round of the tournament, or else he would definitely get back at her. She shivered at the mere thought. "I hope so, sensei...I heard there are many excellent students this year. I'm not really expecting anything."

"Eeehhh..." he muttered in wonder. "I don't think I accept that kind of answer, Makimachi-chan. Shouldn't I hear a more positive response from you? With your reaction, something tells me that you have a lot going on right now, am I right?"

She sighed. He was right. Ever since she was abducted, nothing ever became right in her life. She was always constantly running away from something, afraid to face the truth and accept the consequences. She looked at the friendly face of her sensei and smiled widely.

"I'm just tired I guess."

"Hmm..if that's the case, then that's fine with me," Hiko patted her back then stood up from the bench. Just relax and don't overdo yourself. I know you expect me to treat you like a man – like these guys – but I just can't help worrying about you. In the end, you're still a girl, Makimachi-chan."

_You're still a girl, Makimachi._ It's the exact phrase she heard from her captor back then. She did not really know what that statement meant. She was not trying to become a guy anyway, but why hear that kind of comment? Was there something about her personality that made others think she's trying to be a man?

"Yeah..." she weakly replied as she nodded her head. Hiko smiled back then went to the sparring area. He started reviewing the match and assessing the skills of other Judo members. Misao sat alone on the bench until Soujiro appeared from behind.

"What do you call the cheese that ain't yours!" Soujiro exclaimed as he excitedly sat beside his best friend.

_Wrong timing, Sou-kun...Why do you always have to appear at this kind of situation?_ She thought to herself as she looked at her friend. She shook her head and surrendered.

"Nacho cheese..." she answered back.

"Aye, sir! And the next joke: Two flies are on the porch. Which one is the actor?"

She wanted to put her palm on her face and express her disgust at Soujiro's lame jokes. But since he was exerting effort in trying to make her happy, she did not even bother to do that.

"The one on the screen," she chuckled as soon as she saw Soujiro eating a corn on his hands. "I'm guessing...you're eating a corn because you're telling me these 'CORNY' jokes? How pathetic, Sou-kun! I didn't know you could be this...this lame!" She laughe09uvfd loudly.

He smiled when he saw her like that. He chewed on the corn on his hand then looked at her. "I- I was just trying to...god, there's something stuck in between my teeth, hold on.." He turned back for a moment then faced Misao again as soon as he was able to remove a piece of corn kernel from his teeth. "I was just trying to make you smile, that's all."

"Well, you're successful, kiddo! You made me laugh today!" Misao messed up his hair. Soujiro blushed when her hand touched his head.

"I'm really glad," he muttered happily. "By the way, I think Tsubame from the Student Council wants to see you. She says it's urgent."

"Oh, okay. What time?"

"Maybe after class? I think it's for the Summer Party thing. Are you gonna attend that event?" he anxiously asked her.

"That's after the tournament, right? I guess so. It depends on my mood," she replied.

"Aww..don't hesitate to come, Mi-chan! It's going to be at my place! I'm sure you'll like it there."

"I'm sure I will...but, I don't know. I have to see."

"Oh and..." Soujiro paused before asking another question. "Have you seen _him_ ever since you told him your feelings?"

Suddenly, the mood became serious. Misao did not want to remember the day Aoshi cruelly rejected her in front of his classmates. Well, it was partly her fault anyway. She just decided to spill everything to him in the classroom without any warning whatsoever. But now that she knew what he truly felt for her, there was nothing she could do about it.

"Nope, as a matter of fact I haven't!" she pretended that she was okay. "But it's not like I don't want to see him ever again. I guess we're just not crossing paths these days."

"Well, I actually heard he's been dating someone lately."

"What?" the bottle of tea slipped from her hands and fell on the floor. Her eyes widened in shock when she heard the shocking news from Soujiro.

"It's Megumi Takani, a senior student. She's the head of the ballet club in this school."

"Oh."

She stooped down and slowly picked up the bottle from the floor. She twisted the cap then drank some tea to soothe her feelings. As soon as she was finished, she replaced the cap then placed the bottle beside her on the bench. "He has a girl now...What a huge development for such a dumbass like him!" she chaffed.

_I'm not going to be beside you forever. So grow up and stop whining over this thing._ She suddenly remembered what he told her back in the classroom. She couldn't believe he told her those things. _Maybe it was better if he just said nothing at all...if he just said "sorry," perhaps it would be a little bit easier on me. But no. That douchebag had the leisure of lecturing me over what our relationship should be from then on. I'm just disappointed at myself because I wasn't able to say something to him after that. I just ran away from him._

"So, since he's going out with someone now...I was thinking of uhhmm.." Soujiro scratched his head as he shyly looked at her face. "Maybe we could also try to uhmm..like you know, uhhh...have a- a..."

_Dammit, Soujiro! What are you doing? This is your time!_ He scolded himself.

"I was thinking...maybe we could have a, you know, like a..a meeting or something?"

_A MEETING! What the fuckkkk? Why are you asking her out for a meeting? _Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as soon as he heard himself ask the silly question. He swallowed a lump inside his throat then continued looking at her.

"Sure, Soujiro. Meeting for Judo? I'm in!" Misao excitedly raised her right hand and smiled widely.

_She's clearly misunderstanding me,_ he thought sadly. "Well, it's not exactly about Judo...See, it's a meeting between uhmm..you know, between you and uhh..and me. So that's like, a girl and a boy. So basically, what I'm trying to say is that, perhaps we could meet like a...boy and a girl. Yeah!"

_You're a failure, Seta Soujiro.._he heard his screaming thoughts.

"A meeting between a boy and a girl..hhmm..Aaah! It's about food right? You're going to treat me to dinner, don't you remember? I'm pretty sure you've told me that before!" Her eyes sparkled in utter happiness as soon as she imagined food in front of her, while the poor guy simply felt defeated by then.

_Yeah, yeah..that's almost the same as having a 'date,' so I guess I shouldn't complain._ He smiled secretly to himself.

"Then that's settled! How about tomorrow night after our club practice? I'll treat you to dinner at Donburi Restaurant. It's a fancy dining place, so you should bring some extra clothes with you tomorrow, okay?" he asked her.

She nodded her head excitedly. "Of course! This is food, y'know! I ain't backing out this time!"

Seeing Misao smile and laugh like a normal person made Soujiro extremely happy. He would definitely do his best to win her heart, especially now that Aoshi was out of the picture. It should be pretty easy for him to get Misao's approval. _As long as she's with me, Aoshi-sempai can never take her away from me again._

* * *

"My, oh, my..I feel like I'm the luckiest girl alive, Shinomori-san," Megumi Takani laughed softly as she stared at the man sitting in front of him. She held a glass of water on one hand then brought it to her lips.

She did not expect that the most sought-after guy at Shizuoka Senior High would ask her out. It was so sudden but sweet at the same time. She has heard rumors about Aoshi Shinomori, and how cruel he could be to girls who dared to confess their feelings to this apathetic man. She was not really interested in him at all. Even though she admired his looks, intelligence and athletic capabilities, there was something lacking in him that she could not pinpoint. _Oh well...at least, he asked me out. Many students are dying to have this intimate moment with their "Aoshi-sama." I should be grateful._

"So...what made you think I deserve all this attention from you, Shinomori-san? We just met," she teasingly asked him. She wanted to know if there was something else that he wanted from her.

"W-well, it's really his first time to be in a date like this, so he's a little nervous. But I can assure you that he...uuhhh...he's – lemme think of the right word," Sano rubbed his chin as he tried to think. Megumi's left eyebrow rose when Sano spoke. She did not have the slightest idea why a rooster-head like him accompanied Aoshi Shinomori on their first date. But most importantly, she did not understand why Aoshi needed a chaperone at all. She thought he was a lady killer.

"AHA! He's 'interested' in you! Right, Ao-chan?" Sano enthusiastically looked at his friend sitting beside him, at Aoshi who simply nodded his head when forced to answer.

"Excuse me, my dear customers. Here are your orders! Aahh..Caesar's salad? Oh, it's this lady over here. Curry-katsu don? Okay, it's this young gentleman here. Ooohh..he seems really shy, doesn't he? And uhh...teriyaki bowl? Ahh! Indeed, it's for this young punk, right? And how about this bowl of udon noodles? Still yours? Then how about this plate of assorted sushi? Still yours? Man, you sure have a big appetite!" The waiter placed all the food on the table while Sano started to dig in his three dishes.

"Hey...tha's a lil rud of ya!" Sano told the waiter while chewing some sushi in his mouth. As soon as he finished eating four pieces, he took the glass of water on the table and sipped some water. "Uwaahh! I'm refreshed..." he said.

He glanced at the waiter who was standing beside the table and seemingly confused and awed at Sano's table manners.

"You shouldn't be telling customers they have big appetite! Well...I don't really mind anyway. It's a actually a compliment for me to be honest," Sano happily explained. He took three sushis from the plate and shoved them in his mouth.

"Err...I'll keep that in mind, sir," the waiter replied. He did not know if he should apologize to the weird guy chomping on his food. _He didn't seem offended anyway, so I'll just leave,_ he thought to himself. He turned away then went back to the kitchen.

"I can't believe someone could eat like you, Sagara-san," Megumi commented as she ate her salad. She raised her left eyebrow again when she stared at Sano. _Weirdo. To think he's a student at Shizuoka Senior High...He doesn't have proper manners at all. Ugghh..I don't understand why Shinomori-san has a friend like this! Heck, I don't even understand why he brought this guy along!_

She forced herself to smile when she turned her gaze to Aoshi, who was quietly cutting the pieces of fried pork on his plate. _Mmm...now that's a fine, reserved gentleman,_ Megumi thought as she watched him eat his dish.

"So, Shinomori-san...how many girls have you dated so far? I'm a little curious," she asked Aoshi, gazing at him intently. He stopped eating for a while then looked at the woman in front of him. However, before he could even answer her question, Sano interrupted them.

"How MANY? HAHAHAHA!" Sano burst out laughing. He shook his head as he laughed loudly then drank the soup from his noodles. "You mean, 'has he ever dated anyone in his life?'! That's sick, Megumi-chan. You sure have a good sense of humor! Ahahaha...aaahhhhh...man, these noodles taste good!"

_Megumi-chan? So what now? This rooster-head is acting as if we're close? UGH! He's really starting to get on my nerves. Even if he's my classmate, that's not an excuse to call me by my first name! What an idiot!_ Megumi tried to contain the anger that was starting to boil inside her. She looked at Sano and watched him through fiery eyes.

"W-well..." she instantly shifted her attention to Aoshi, who was still eating his fried pork and rice. "Have you dated anyone, Shinomori-san?"

"No. It's just you," he replied shortly. He looked at her as he drank from the glass of water in his hand. His eyes seemed to pierce through her soul. She quickly blushed when she saw him staring at her like that.

"O-ohhh..." she reacted. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard him say that. It was short and sweet. "Tha-that's...really great. I...uhhh...I'm ho-honored." She drank water then stuffed her mouth with more vegetables. She needed a distraction.

"Megumi-chan is blushing! Megumi-chan is blushing! AHA! What a good development this is, Ao-chan! Man, you're smooth!" Sano chanted happily as he started to eat his third dish. He put the strips of teriyaki in his mouth and chewed on them like a hungry man. Megumi tried to ignore Sano's stupid comment as she prepared another question in her head.

"Tell me then, Shinomori-san...What do you like about me?" Megumi felt herself flushing in red. "I mean, let's face it. I have so many good traits, and I know you know them already. But what is it exactly that made you...uhh...'interested' in me?"

"You're hot?" Sano made another comment. Unable to contain her disgust, Megumi kicked Sano under the table. "AW! HEY, YOU! WHAT'S THAT FOR!" Sano screamed in pain.

"What?" Megumi asked indifferently, pretending she did not know anything. Suddenly, Aoshi chuckled slightly when he saw her reaction. Megumi was surprised to see Aoshi in such a good mood that she started to feel good about herself. _Ehh...so this is the real Aoshi? _She mused. _He has a good smile..._

"Argghh..you just kicked me!" Sano complained. "And why are you laughing, Ao-chan? Shouldn't you be on my side? That's so unfair!"

"I'm on your side, Sano," Aoshi said. He glanced at Megumi and slightly smiled at her. For some reason, he thought that it was a good idea that Sano came along after all. He did not want his friend to join them at first, but because Sano insisted, he gave up. Now he realized that if not for Sano, the mood would not lighten, and he would not be having a good conversation with Megumi.

_I'm glad she's having a good time..._he thought to himself. He was slightly nervous that Megumi would not enjoy herself tonight. After all, it was his first time to have a formal date like this.

Suddenly, Aoshi stood up from his seat. "Excuse me, but I have to use the bathroom," he said. He walked away from the table and made his way to the place.

"Now, you listen to me, rooster-head," Megumi suddenly told Sano. She looked at him intently, knowing that Aoshi was not there to witness the scene.

"What now, fox lady?" he finished his food then gulped the water from the glass.

"I don't know why you have to be here. But just so you know, I won't tolerate the kind of behavior you have."

Sano brought his face closer to hers then raised his eyebrows. "Mah kind o' behavior? Hey, hey...what are you insinuating here, foxy?"

"I'm saying that you're an uncivilized man ruining the moment of my life. Look at you! You ate three dishes, while Aoshi and I just had one. You even had to come here to accompany your friend! Don't you feel shameful?"

"Ohoho! So this is what it is all about? You're complaining like a bitch because I get to eat three dishes and you only get to eat one? Maannn, I can't believe it! Shouldn't you be much more concerned with your figure, lady?"

"Arggh! That's not the point! You're clearly misunderstanding me!"

"Hey, you started this. I'm not the one to blame!"

"I'm saying that you shouldn't be here in the first place! This is a date between Aoshi and me. Why should you stay here and eat along with us?"

"That's none of your business. Why don't you just finish your vegetables and order a cup of coffee to calm your nerves? Sheesh...what's your problem?" Sano got a toothpick from the table and started to clean his teeth in front of Megumi. This annoyed the girl even more.

"Don't you even know how to cover your mouth?" she grumbled.

"I. DON'T. FUCKING. CARE." Sano took his eyes off the lady in front of him. He did not know that Megumi has temper problems. He always thought she was nice and reserved. But seeing her true colors now, he definitely thought that he's not an ordinary girl-next-door.

"You know what? Maybe you have a crush on me."

Sano almost spilled the glass of water on the table. He was completely shocked when he heard Megumi whining like a brat. "WHAT? Are you fucking serious?"

"Well, YEAH. Because if not, then why would you be here? I mean, c'mon...I'm pretty and sexy. And I'm a good dancer. Even the great Aoshi Shinomori fell for me! So what makes it impossible for you not to like me?"

"AS IF? I'm not attracted to bitches like you!"

"Ohohohoho! Not attracted? Well then, why are you here? Don't tell me you're just concerned about your friend?" she mockingly asked him.

"Of course I'm here because of him!"

"That's just stupid!"

"Well if you don't believe me, then FINE, foxy."

Megumi did not answer back after that. She knitted her eyebrows as she glared at Sano. She was disgusted at the sight. _If not for Aoshi, I would've left this place earlier._

On the other hand, Sano ignored her. His hands were folded across his chest. He frowned as he remembered his conversation with Megumi. _And all along, I thought she's a good-mannered girl. Looks like she's going to be a handful for Aoshi._ He frowned even more when he remembered Megumi's questioning of his intention to join them for dinner. He was really telling her the truth as he was only concerned that Aoshi would ruin his first date. Since he knew Aoshi very well when it came to handling women, he did not want this date to turn out ugly, especially this time that Aoshi has found the girl for himself. _I was just concerned. What's wrong about that? It was just a bonus that I got to eat free dinner. Big deal!_ He continued scowling.

Moments later, Aoshi arrived. He sat on his seat and noticed the awkward atmosphere. He looked at Sano then at Megumi. _Looks like somebody got into a fight_, he thought. "Do you want some dessert, Takani-san?" he asked Megumi. She looked at him sweetly then smiled.

"Actually I'm good. Why don't you ask your friend, Shinomori-san? I bet he would care to eat some sweet food?" she sarcastically said as she shot a glance at Sano.

Sano glared back at her. "I lost my appetite, Ao-chan. I think it's best if we head home," he said.

"Well, okay. Fine by me," he replied shortly. "I...I also lost my appetite."

For a moment there, Sano thought he saw Aoshi's facial expression change. He thought he saw Aoshi frown. But when he saw how his friend looked at Megumi and smiled, Sano realized that maybe he was just seeing things. After all, why would Aoshi be sad? Now that he's with the woman he liked?

Then, the night ended as they left the fancy restaurant. Even though he had a small quarrel with Megumi, Sano was glad that mostly everything went smoothly for his friend, Aoshi. _I'm happy for you, dude_, he thought as soon as they parted ways.

* * *

Her cell phone rang.

She picked it up from the table and answered it. As she pressed the phone on her ear, she heard an enthusiastic 'hello' on the other end of the line. She smiled when she heard the voice. Even if they ate dinner together, she was somewhat excited that she could hear his voice again. It was very reassuring.

"I just want to know if you're okay...after what happened."

She sighed then sat on the bed. She suddenly remembered the scene at the restaurant. Of all the places they should meet, she wondered why it had to be in that restaurant. She tried to suppress the memory but she could not.

"I'm just concerned..." the person on the other end of the line spoke.

"I'm fine, Sou-kun," she replied. She tried to sound happy but it was obvious that she was faking it.

"You know, I feel bad that I picked this day to have dinner with you."

"Don't say that. I loved the food."

"But you saw him..."

She was not able to reply right away.

"He did not see me, Sou-kun. It's fine. Really."

"You sound so sad."

"No, I don't! Hahaha...I'm just tired."

"Well...if you say so."

Misao put her head on the pillow. She remembered when she saw Aoshi having dinner with another girl at Donburi restaurant. Sano was also there. But it was clearly obvious that they were having a good time. "I'm grateful for the sushi, Sou-kun. You don't know how much they meant to me," she spoke happily. "Oh and don't forget your promise! You told me you're going to treat me again!"

"Of course not, silly!" Soujiro exclaimed.

"Well, then that's good! I'm going to break your neck at our Judo practice if you break your promise. Watch out!"

They laughed immediately after. Then after a while, Soujiro said goodbye to Misao.

She placed her cellphone on the table then looked out the window. She noticed that the sky was clear tonight. The stars twinkled beautifully that she could not get her eyes off them.

Until the magnificent view suddenly became blurred through her eyes. She was startled when she noticed the change. When she lifted her hand and touched her cheeks, she realized that she had started crying.

_You're so stupid, Mi-chan..._

* * *

"I have your three finalists, Tsubame," Yahiko excitedly brought in the good news as soon as he entered the classroom. Tsubame was reviewing the videotapes which contained the interviews.

"Good job, Yahiko-kun! Have you researched well enough?" Tsubame smiled. She paused the video that she was watching then went to the table where Yahiko placed all the files in his hands.

"Three girls for our contest. Misao Makimachi, Aoshi's best friend. Harumi Imai, the most popular girl in our school who was cruelly rejected by Aoshi-sempai. And, Megumi Takani, the president of the ballet club," Yahiko explained.

Tsubame flipped through the pages and looked at the pictures of the girls. "Interesting. And why is Megumi-sempai included? What's her relationship to Aoshi-sempai?"

"Apparently, they've been dating. I don't know when it all started but at least we have some scoop here," he explained.

"They're dating? Then what's the point of having a contest! Are you sure that's true?" Tsubame reacted. Yahiko nodded his head then pointed to Megumi's picture.

"Well...the contest is just for fun anyway. It's not like it would determine Aoshi-sempai's fate as a man."

Tsubame thought for a while then nodded her head. "All right then. I want you to gather these three girls here. We'll start the interview right away!"

"Aye, aye, captain!" Yahiko enthusiastically shouted. "I'll get the cameras ready and bring these people here."

Tsubame grinned when she heard Yahiko. _At last_, she thought,_ we're nearing completion._

* * *

Enishi held each of the ten-pound weights on both of his hands. He was sweating profusely as he exercised alone in the room.

Suddenly, Misao came in.

"Oh, hey there, Enishi-kun," Misao greeted as she saw Enishi. He shot a glance at her and was slightly surprised.

"Makimachi...what are you doing here?" Enishi replied in between breaths. He put down the weights on the ground then started to do some pull-ups.

"Same reason as yours. Get some big muscles," she smirked. She grabbed two dumbbells and started her workout. She needed to exercise regularly to boost her Judo skills.

"Well...good luck with that," he replied then ignored Misao for the rest of the time.

After an hour of exercise, Enishi was about to leave. He looked at Misao who was still running on the treadmill. He approached her and decided to start a conversation.

"You know what. I'll win the gold in the tournament, so you don't really have to work your ass off," he said sarcastically.

Misao noticed the sarcasm in his voice then stopped running. "Are you picking on me?" she asked him.

He smirked. "Just saying...After all, it's clearly obvious that something's holding you back these days. Remember our practice match the other day? I defeated you."

"Well shouldn't you be happy because you won? I thought that's what you want."

"You were toying with me back then. How could I be satisfied with that kind of victory?"

"I don't know. Find out for yourself," she retorted. She put back her earphones and started to run again.

Enishi felt disgusted after she ignored him. He only wanted to know why she was not giving her best. _She's clearly up to something..._

Then, he grabbed his gym bag and left.

* * *

The day has finally come.

Kaoru looked at all the members of the Student Council and smiled widely. How long has she waited for this day?

The students looked at her, waiting for her presentation for the Summer Party event. They were anxious about their progress so far. Since they were working in committees, they did not really know what was happening overall. Kaoru cleared her throat then began her report.

"First of all, I want to commend everyone for his input and hard work so far. I am very grateful that the Student Council is doing their best to make this Summer Party event successful. Next, I want to review all the committees' performance. Let's start with the Refreshments Committee..."

Kaoru flipped the pages in her hands as she related to everyone in the room how each committee was doing for the past weeks. There was no sign of anxiety in her voice as she reported their activities. She was brimming with confidence and optimism, a far cry from the girl who broke down and slapped the Student Council's Vice President a week ago. It was her chance to redeem herself after all. She disappeared for one week and neglected to perform her responsibilities as a president. It was partly her fault because she let her personal feelings get in the way. But now that she's standing in front of everyone, she had to show them how much capable she was of leading the entire organization.

The student members were surprisingly awed at Kaoru's eloquence and confidence. Not only were they pleased at the contents of the report, they also admired how she carried herself the entire time. It seemed as if a different person stood before them, as if the always-stressed-out president has been instantly replaced by a calm, optimistic leader who managed to inspire them through words.

The members were glad that Kaoru has undergone this change, especially now that they really needed someone to effectively guide the Student Council. For a while, they thought that Kenshin would assume the position of president because of Kaoru's one-week absence from the council. They were glad, however, that such an event did not happen. Although Kenshin definitely had the abilities to run the whole organization, they knew that changing people's designations and responsibilities was the last thing they wanted before the actual Summer Party and Inter-High School Athletic Competitions.

"Summer break will start next week. Inter-high will commence a month after, and our ambitious Summer Party event will take place at Soujiro Seta's private beach three days after the competitions. I just want to remind everyone that this summer will particularly mean hard work for everyone at the Student Council. It is also a test of one's dedication to the school and entire student body. But although a million tasks await us from here on, I want you to keep in mind that as long as we maintain our focus and enthusiasm, we will accomplish our projects and responsibilities no matter what. Do not let stress and fatigue wear you out and obscure your judgment. And most importantly, when working with other members of your committee, don't forget to be objective at all times," Kaoru paused for a moment and quickly glanced at the young red-haired man sitting across the long table.

"We...we will need all the help we can get from one another," Kaoru continued as she looked back at the students. "Good luck, everyone."

As she bowed her head, all the members of the Student Council clapped their hands in admiration. They were touched and inspired by her report. They thought that for the first time, Kaoru has truly demonstrated her leadership skills.

_Good job, President Kamiya..._

Kenshin smiled after witnessing Kaoru's presentation.

He felt good. He was happy that she managed to make a good comeback.

He was definitely looking forward to working with her again.

* * *

She flexed her toes and bent her petite body on the dance floor.

As music resonated in the hall, she synchronized her movements with each beat and expressed different kinds of emotions. Sadness, happiness, hurt, comfort, pain, joy...

And he silently watched her across the stage. He sat there alone. The only member of her audience.

Her flexible upper body allowed her to do several turns on the floor while both of her hands held her left foot to her head. She looked like a ballerina doll that was usually found in musical boxes. Her flawless figure and moves took his breath away.

_Megumi..._ he thought lovingly as he watched the woman dancing ballet on stage. She had long silky black hair tied in a ponytail. _At last, I've met you..._ he silently admired her beauty and grace as she continued moving on the stage. Until...

She vanished in mid-air.

And a familiar person popped before his eyes.

A girl with the long braid stood at the center and suddenly chuckled.

"Aoshi-sempai! I have to tell you something!" she cheerfully shouted.

_No._

She walked closer. He tried to ignore her but he could not.

"I've been wanting to tell you this for a long time!" the girl's long braid swayed behind her back. She was now walking towards him.

_Stop it._

"I like you...and I feel like this is more than just a crush," she revealed. Her face was now right in front of him. He could actually feel her breath. He slightly shivered at her proximity.

Then even before he could touch her, she also vanished before his eyes. A new scene appeared before him – a very familiar scene.

The same girl, whose long braid has now been replaced by short hair, tearfully clung to another man. He was watching them silently. _No..._he thought for a moment. He was feeling something else as he witnessed her finding comfort in the man's arms.

"Thank you..." she barely made out the words. Her right hand touched the man's cheeks and her fingers gingerly brushed away the bangs that slightly covered his eyes. Seeing her reaction, the man hugged her more tightly than ever.

And Aoshi just stood there, watching.

Silently.

Indifferently.

Yet something was twitching inside his chest.

The scene changed once more, and this time it was at the restaurant where he took Megumi for dinner.

He just left the table to go the bathroom. From afar, he could hear Megumi's and Sano's voices arguing; he dismissed them as he already figured out that such a possibility could happen.

But what he saw next defied his expectations.

The same girl was also at the restaurant. She was sitting at a table, laughing like a mad person. He wondered why. At the same time, he felt that he hasn't really heard that kind of laugh for a very long time. He missed it. He missed _her._

He wanted to go to her, and perhaps talk. But something prevented him from doing it. His heart was beating fast inside his chest. He was nervous.

"You're so funny, Sou-kun!" she exclaimed. Her hand tapped on the table several times. Suddenly, a pair of chopsticks stuck a piece of sushi inside her wide-open mouth. She was caught off-guard for a second, but when she realized what just happened, she continued to laugh. She chewed the food inside her mouth then, using her own chopsticks, took two pieces of sushi from her plate and stuck them to the mouth of the person in front of her.

They both laughed hysterically.

Aoshi sighed at what he saw.

Then something twitched inside his chest again.

After standing there for a couple of minutes, he headed to the bathroom and washed his face.

He looked at the mirror on the wall as he turned off the faucet. His eyes looked tired.

Suddenly, he was back in the auditorium where he first saw the ballerina. This time, however, he was completely alone.

"I'm sorry," a voice uttered.

And then a tear-stricken face emerged right before him. Her ocean blue eyes lost the sparkle that they used to have. Her sweet smile was gone. Her laugh was suppressed forever.

He lifted his fingers to dry her tears.

But instead of comforting her, he muttered words that belied what he was feeling right at that moment.

"I'm not going to be beside you forever. So grow up and stop whining over this thing," he harshly stated.

The girl's eyes widened in shock when she heard his painful rejection. More tears rushed down her cheeks.

Then she just vanished right before his eyes.

At the same time, Aoshi woke up in the middle of the night.

He was sweating profusely and panting like a dog. After he looked around his dark room, he realized that he merely had a dream – a particularly awful dream.

"Misao..." he barely uttered.

For the third time, something twitched inside his chest.

* * *

A/N: YAY! Another chapter! So what do you think of this one? It's longer than usual because I wanted to add more details and plot development. Let me know what you think! Don't be shy, and please leave a review! Thankssss! XD


	11. Faked

A/N: Anotha, anotha chappie! Hell yeah! Hell yeah! Whoopie, whoopie. Yupzee, yupzee! Shubidubi dooo la la la la! *dances around a bonfire like some crazy ancient person* Ahoy, my readers! I'm very happy because I get to update this fanfic regularly. I thought I would completely abandon this.. huhuhu.. Oh well, let's get it on! Please don't forget to leave a nice review, okay? Don't be shy! Tell me whatcha think :D

**More Than Just A Crush**

By: Killua K.

Chapter 11: Faked

* * *

Another day. Another confession.

I sighed as I looked at my shoebox filled with love letters from girls at my high school.

_Such a pain in the ass._

As I took one envelope from the bunch, I immediately noticed a group of girls watching me from afar. Perhaps they were waiting if I would pick one of their letters. I shook my head and frowned at the thought.

The envelope was colored pink. I could clearly smell the sharp strawberry scent that wafted to my nose. Even though I've already received many envelopes such as this, I still couldn't get used to the smell.

I lifted the flap then took out the paper inside. It was a scented Hello-Kitty-stationery, on which large round letters were written neatly.

_Dearest Aoshi-sama,_

_I have been waiting for this day, this time, this moment to pour my feelings for you on this letter. I wish you would take some time to read everything, from start to finish, and carefully digest its content. A favor like this would make me the happiest girl at Shizuoka Senior High..._

'Happiest girl?' I paused for a moment. 'Pathetic...'

_My name is Reiko Kurasagi, from class 2-A. You may not know me very well but I've been a member of the Kendo Club since freshman year. I've wanted to strike up a conversation with you ever since I joined the club but I just didn't have the courage to do it. I've always felt that I didn't deserve you and that you were too perfect for an average girl like me. _

'Is this girl crazy or what?' I thought again. I shook my head then continued reading.

_But I never lost hope. My friends encouraged me to continue having these feelings for you. And, I'm really glad that I followed their advice. Now, my feelings have grown stronger for the past year and a half. I admire you and your personality more than ever. And I've come to realize that I just can't stop adoring you, Aoshi-sama. I think I've really fallen for you._

_I would really appreciate it if you respond to my feelings. I will be waiting at the back of the gym every afternoon starting from the day after I will have written this letter. I will continue to wait until you show up, Aoshi-sama. Thank you very much._

_Love,_

_Reiko_

Again, the letter was nothing special.

It was just like any others that I've received so far. Plain, simplistic, boring, worthless...

Stupid.

I folded the paper in my hand then slid it back in the envelope. I wondered if I should just meet the girl today and end this absurdity once and for all.

And then suddenly, as if my brain betrayed my own thoughts, my hand jerked and took another letter from the shoebox. I was surprised when it all happened in an instant. Reading only one letter at a time preserved my sanity. Anything more than that meant suicide.

This time, the envelope was colored black. Sometimes I see this kind, adorned with shiny stickers and glitters that leave a smear on my hands. It is perhaps the opposite of the scented pink envelope I receive from most girls. The content, of course, is nothing special, but one could clearly see how different the writer's personality is from others'.

Usually, girls who insert their love letters in this kind of envelope are weird. Most of them are emo, or some of them just want to call attention to themselves. I can sense that they are different because of the way they write the words and the way they phrase their intentions. Moreover, these girls usually have a unique way of confessing their feelings.

_Just like a girl I know...But didn't she use pink back then? Ah, never mind. She still confessed in a weird manner._

I opened the letter then started reading it:

_Dearest Shinomori-sempai,_

_I am not going to give up._

_Lovelots,_

_Mi-chan_

_P.S. I heard that you've been going out with Takani-sempai. Congrats._

_P.P.S. Just so you know, I've been practicing hard for Judo. How are your Kendo exercises going? _

_P.P.P.S. Oh, and Student Council picked me as one of the participants in a dating contest that's going to be held during the Summer Party. Can you believe that?_

_P.P.P.P.S. You don't have to worry about me. Soujiro accompanies me everywhere I go! He's really cool you know. But, I feel like...uhhmm...(please don't tell anyone, ok?) I feel like he acts weird sometimes. He's been clingy to me ever since *that* incident. We hang out almost every day, and...not that it's bad, it's just...it's just really, really weird. I wish I could tell you more!_

'What?' I thought to myself in disbelief. 'That girl wrote to me just to rant about her life?'

However, it was long before I soon realized that there was another post script written at the very bottom part of the paper. I brought the letter to my eyes then examined the small fine print. It said:

_P.P.P.P.P.S. I miss you, sempai._

I did not know why out of all the letters I've read in my life, this was the only one that made me smile and ache at the same time.

On the outside, the letter looked like nothing special. The envelope was even colored black. The characters were written in a messy way, almost illegible. And there wasn't even a trace of ornament or perfume usually used by girls to make their letters more appealing and interesting. It could have been easily mistaken for a piece of junk in my opinion.

However, the author and her words made the difference.

As I stood in front of the shoebox and held the letter in my hands, I felt a gentle tap on my back that suddenly seemed so familiar. I quickly turned around to check who it was, and surprisingly, a beaming countenance greeted me.

"It's been a while, Aoshi-sempai! Have you read my letter?" Misao energetically asked. Her blue eyes sparkled in indescribable happiness as she looked at me, smiling like a naïve child.

I was not able to reply right away but soon nodded my head.

"Did you like it?" She brought her face closer.

For some reason, my heart started to race inside my chest. I haven't seen Misao for days and yet it felt longer than that. Perhaps I've missed her more than I initially thought.

"It's...it's okay," I said.

She smiled even more widely. "Aaaahhh! That's a relief! Well then, I have to go! We have Judo practice today. I'll see you later then."

She waved at me like a kid then walked away.

I kept my eyes on her for a while. I never did that before when she used to stick by my side and bother me with her loud voice all the time. Now, I felt as if I had to or else I might not see her again.

_I guess I should just finish my business with Reiko Kurosagi then..._

Finally, I sighed, turned around and replaced my indoor slippers with sneakers. It was time to dump another girl.

* * *

"Please go out with me!"

The girl bowed in front of me. I looked at her for a moment then turned my back. I knew it was going to be a waste of time. Dumping girls was always a waste of time. At least I had the decency to show up whenever they requested me to do so.

"Sorry," I answered casually. I started to walk away from the place. The whole drama was over in a few minutes. Another record.

Of course, what followed next didn't come to me as a surprise. Reiko Kurasagi wailed like a child as she dropped on her knees. She cried and screamed as if it were the end of the world; while, I did not care a bit. I was tired of dealing with emotional girls like her. All they do is act as if they're the victims, when in reality, it's the opposite. I am the victim in every confession. I am the one who has to face these girls one by one and painstakingly hear their nonsense feelings. I am the only guy in school who has to endure this madness. No it's not flattering at all. It's totally not cool if you're the one being painted as a bad guy who does nothing but break hearts.

"THAT'S IT!" A loud angry voice pierced through my thoughts and shattered my contemplation.

I stopped walking.

"_SORRY!_ THAT'S ALL YOU'RE GOING TO SAY?"

I turned around and saw two other girls standing beside the crying Reiko. The other girl looked at me fiercely as if she were going to devour my entire being.

"JUST WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" she shouted again.

I breathed deeply and closed my eyes for a moment. _Not again,_ I thought. I walked closer to them then tried to answer.

"Nothing. Maybe something is wrong with you?"

"WHAT THE! Don't change the subject, you moron!"

"And why would I do that?"

"SEE! You ARE definitely changing the topic here. You know, mister, it took my best friend months to shore up her courage and write a goddamn love letter for you! And then you break her heart in a few seconds, without even giving her a reasonable explanation? Who in the right mind would ever do that? You turn your back and say a fucking 'sorry?' Just how fucked up is that, you bastard!"

I didn't answer. My eyes glanced at Reiko who was now wiping her tears and trying to stop herself from crying.

"You know what! I've heard rumors about you. About your notorious way of rejecting girls. But I never thought you could be this cruel! Don't you even realize how your actions affect the emotions of those girls? Have you ever even stopped for a second and reflected on your behavior? I mean, what's up with that?"

"Keiko-chan, p-please...stop," Reiko suddenly tugged the skirt of her friend and pleaded. The girl only briefly looked at her then she shifted her gaze to me.

"I don't know who you are. But surely, you have a lot to say. I wish I had all the time in the world to stay here and chitchat with you, but I'm running late and so I must leave. Now if you will excuse me," I turned my back for a second time then proceeded. I decided to make up a reason to get me out of that awkward situation.

Sometimes, this kind of scene happens when I reject someone. Most of the time, the girl's friends would get mad at my action and accuse me of being apathetic and rude. I don't mind for the most part. I never really cared about what they thought of me.

But today was different. Today, that girl's words stung me and showed me how much people like her loathed my true personality. _Pathetic..._I thought to myself. _It's not my problem at all. They're the ones who like me first. Why wouldn't they try to research more on my personality so they know whom they're dealing with?_

I looked up and saw the sun shining brightly in the blue sky. Puff of clouds were scattered here and there. I smiled slightly when I realized how beautiful the day was. It was such a waste though that I had to face the ire of Reiko Kurasagi's friends on a perfect day like this.

I went to the bicycle parking lot and took my keys from my pocket. I was about to unlock my bike when I heard Sano calling out to me from afar. I turned my head and saw him running towards me.

"AO-CHAN!" he shouted loudly. I've told him not to call me by that name several times but he's just so stubborn.

"Going on a date?" he asked me as soon as he ended up standing in front of me.

"Nah. I'm going home to take a nap," I said as I finally unlocked my bike.

"Oohh...oh well, I thought you were interested in seeing the ballet club perform today."

"The ballet club? When?"

"I think it starts in fifteen minutes. In the auditorium," Sano said. He removed the cap of a bottle in his hand. Then he drank from it to quench his thirst. "Oolong tea?" he offered.

I shook my head. "How did you know about this?"

"Well...I have a – a reliable source shall we say," he winked at me as he took another sip from his bottle.

I pulled out my cell phone from my pocket and checked if Megumi sent me a message about her club's performance. Unfortunately, there wasn't any. I was slightly disappointed when I realized this.

"Is Megumi going to be there?" I asked Sano.

"Actually, she's the one who told me that they're going to dance today," he laughed loudly as soon as he explained to me. Suddenly, Sano put his arm around me and jokingly wrestled me. "Let's go!"

"Hey!" I reacted. And then as if by instinct, I tackled Sano and twisted his arm behind his back. He screamed in pain as he held onto my shirt and begged for mercy. I chuckled when I saw his pitiful state. Slowly, my hands loosened their grip on his arm and neck. I continued to laugh when I looked at him. _That's my Kendo practice for today,_ I thought to myself amusingly.

"Okay, okay! I get it! That's a _yes_, I suppose," Sano grumbled as he stretched his twisted arm and tried to massage his neck. "Wow...you really got me there, Mister Shinomori. That hurt pretty bad. Ugh!"

I put back the lock on my bike then parked it again. "C'mon. I don't wanna be late for Megumi's performance," I spoke. I patted Sano's back gently but he brushed it off like a kid throwing a tantrum.

"Pssh...after bending my arm like that, all I hear is _I don't wanna be late for Megumi's performance_. I didn't know that falling in love makes one forget how to say _sorry,_" he muttered.

We started to head to the auditorium as we walked under the beautiful afternoon sky. I noticed that the sun gave off pinkish rays that scattered across the vast space above and pierced through the clouds. I smiled when I saw this scenic view.

"It's a beautiful day," I spoke softly.

"Hm?" Sano raised his eyebrows at my comment. He glanced at the sky quickly then looked back at me. "It looks normal to me...Didn't know you had a romantic side, Ao-chan!"

"Romantic side? I was just admiring the view, that's all, rooster head," I retorted.

"Well, I mean, isn't looking at the sky and admiring the sun and clouds what most romantics do? They pretty much appreciate anything in nature and always find something beautiful," he explained. "That's what girls like you know."

I didn't speak anything after that.

We passed the dojo on our right as we walked. Some of my club mates, who were resting outside the huge wooden door of the dojo, waved at me when they saw me. I simply nodded my head in respect then I eventually ignored them.

"Inter high's coming up! Aahhh...this summer is going to be exciting, my friend! Do you think you can get the gold?" Sano excitedly asked.

"I hope so," I replied. "It's going to be a great achievement if I manage to do it."

"Oh yeah! Of course! I'm also excited for the Judo Club. I heard that Makimachi is the contender for the gold this year. Aaah! A girl, could you believe that? It's going to be a first for our school if that happens," Sano shouted while we were walking. I was glad that no one else was there when he did that.

"I know she could do it," I said.

"You really believe your best friend, huh?"

"I'm confident in her skills. She's a brilliant and strong girl. I've seen her wrestle her club mates many times."

"Ooohhh...sounds like an Amazon warrior to me."

I chuckled at his comment. "Precisely. You should see her transform during their practice. She's unstoppable. Hiko-sensei told me that before."

"Ehhhh..." he sounded skeptical. "But isn't that Makimachi like a weird girl? She always sticks to you every time and everywhere. I thought she'd be the weak, girlish type."

"Nah, she's actually the opposite. I've known her since we were kids. She preferred toy guns and trucks over dolls and teddy bears." I smiled when I reminisced my childhood. _She never changed a bit..._

Except for the long braid that was now gone forever.

Until now, I don't know the reason why she impulsively cut her hair. She's grown that for years, but it only took her seconds to cut it off.

_You know, mister, it took my best friend months to shore up her courage and write a goddamn love letter for you! And then you break her heart in a few seconds, without even giving her a reasonable explanation?_

The angry face of Reiko Kurasagi's friend popped in my head when I thought about Misao's hair. I didn't understand why she had to show up in my mind. I didn't find any connection at all.

_Could it be..? _I contemplated. I tried to piece everything together. _No, but that's impossible. Why would she be upset over that kind of thing? Why would she take away the most precious thing in her life just because of...just because of..._

_Because of me?_

Misao's face loomed inside my mind. I could hear Sano's voice vaguely in the background. I was too consumed in my thoughts that I barely noticed what was happening around me.

'Like it, sempai?'

'Yeah, I know you don't. You don't like anything about me anyway, ne?'

That was what she said to me before, the day after she cut her braid off. I wasn't able to answer her question right away because I was too shocked to see her hair so short. I've always admired her long black hair. It was the only thing that reminded me that she was a girl. It was the only thing – the only thing about Misao that I've really, really adored so much. The only thing that...

"AO-CHAN! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?" Sano's voice interrupted my contemplation. I quickly glanced at him.

"Oh...ugghh...so what was it again? I'm sorry," I said as I scratched my head.

"I said we could sit here right in front of the stage. See? The show's about to start," he gestured.

I realized that we were already inside the auditorium. Students rushed through the doors and eventually settled down on the rows of seat. Then I turned my gaze to the huge stage in front of us. There was a giant backdrop displaying an imaginary dark forest. Several small lights were attached on the huge display, as if fireflies filled the vast space before us.

Sano urged me to sit down, and I followed him, my eyes fixed at the stage. I sank into my seat and made myself comfortable. It's been a while since I last saw the ballet club perform. I was a little nervous because I knew that I would see Megumi dance again. _Would I feel the same way I felt three years ago? I wonder..._

"Errhmmm...I'm not really a big fan of ballet you know," Sano commented. "I feel like it's too...too GAY, ya know what I mean?"

"Why not? It's for cultured people," I said. I smiled at him.

"Are you trying to say I'm not cultured?"

"Just saying," I shrugged.

"HA. HA. Very funny," Sano pouted his lips. "I wish the school had hip-hop club instead! That'd be more awesome. Not some paper-thin people dancing in tights and tutus. And don't even mention the music they play, gawd."

"Well, why don't you just leave?"

Sano wasn't able to reply right away. Even in the dark, I noticed that he blushed a little bit when I made that remark. He looked stunned for a second then his reaction turned into something of a person acting in denial. "I...I c-can't do that."

"Interesting!" I said. "Here you are ranting about your dislike for ballet and yet you ought not to skip the show. Why is that, Mister Sagara?"

"Uhmm...I – I made a p-promise with someone," he replied. "Yeah. That's right! I told someone that I would see her dance no matter what. I – I mean, aren't you just like me? You're only here because you want to see Megumi dance, but you're not really a ballet junkie, are you?"

"I guess you have a point there."

"See? So uhhh, yeah...I'm staying – even if I'll prolly just doze off or somethin'. You know what, let's just enjoy the show. Here! It's starting," Sano took his eyes off me then immediately looked at the stage.

In an instant, the great hall turned dark.

The music started to play. Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake resonated in the auditorium and several dancers gracefully entered the stage. Two lines formed on the side and stayed on their respective places. I watched intently as I waited for Megumi to appear on the dance floor.

"Sooo...what do you think so far, huh?" Sano asked me.

"Nothing even happened yet, Sano," I replied.

"Oh. That's right. I guess I have to shut up then," he scratched his head then looked back at the stage.

I was relieved when Sano said that. At least I knew he wouldn't bother me for a while. I returned my gaze at the ballerinas posing in a tableau. They wore white tutus adorned with sequins and gems arranged in elaborate designs. I thought their costumes were a little distracting, but then perhaps that's just the way they really dress.

Suddenly, a woman slowly entered the scene. Her hair was tied neatly in a bun, which was decorated with a white head dress that sparkled in the dimly lit set. As she gracefully stepped across the floor, her long arms extended in the air and moved lightly as a feather. A spotlight accentuated her petite frame and emphasized the emotions displayed on her face. Her eyes spoke of delight and happiness, but her expression suddenly changed when an evil sorcerer appeared and casted a wicked spell upon her.

"It's Megumi!" Sano exclaimed.

"I know...isn't she beautiful?" I said, appreciating the main ballerina's elegant moves.

"Ya, she's astounding," his voice barely escaped his lips. I quickly glanced at my friend and noticed that his eyes were fixed on Megumi. He looked amazed at what was happening on stage.

"Liking it, my friend?" I teased Sano. But he simply ignored me. I lightly chuckled at his non-responsiveness.

The ballerinas started to dance in a synchronized movement on the floor. They spun and turned on their feet, and glided effortlessly like swans swimming peacefully on a lake. As they extended their limbs and jumped in a coordinated manner, they enveloped Megumi, who depicted a maiden princess struggling to fight the evil fate brought upon her by an evil sorcerer's curse. Eventually, all of the girls collapsed on the floor, their bodies arched and arms touching their toes.

A male dancer appeared and made his way to Megumi's place. They danced gracefully together and performed amazing lifts and spins. The show was breathtaking, and the chemistry between the two did not feel artificial at all. As experienced performers, Megumi and her partner, who portrayed the prince, knew their craft very well. They blew the audience away by their grace, flexibility, and theatricality. And even though I was never a big fan of ballet, I was definitely awed at their dance.

_But I knew something was missing._

I couldn't pinpoint what it was. Although Megumi and her club mates performed well beyond my expectations, I still felt unsatisfied. I didn't know why, but every time I would stare at Megumi and examine her stretched limbs and arched neck and body, I realized that she seemed different from the first time I've seen her dance three years ago.

The ballet continued for an hour, and Sano and I were glued on the show for the whole time. When it ended, everyone in the audience gave the performers a standing ovation and greatly applauded the production. I also stood and clapped enthusiastically when the curtain closed.

"Oh my...this almost brought me to tears," Sano cried as he clapped his hands and shouted for joy. "I didn't really understand what happened. All I know is that it's like The Princess and the Frog. Ahhh! But whatever! It's brilliant, Ao-chan!"

I wanted to hit Sano in the head when I heard him call me by that name again. But I prevented myself from actually doing it. "Indeed, it is. And, Megumi is just flawless," I said.

"Yeah..." Sano agreed. "Yes, of course...she is."

* * *

We met with Megumi after the show, and I was able to talk to her how well she performed in the ballet. She said she was really happy that Sano and I came to see her.

"It means so much to me, Aoshi-san," she smiled at me sweetly. She didn't remove her costume and make-up yet when she faced us. But I was really glad that I saw her in it.

"Good thing, Sano told me, or else I wouldn't know," I said. I noticed that she blushed a little when she looked at me.

"I wanted to tell you in person, but when I went to your classroom, you were already gone," she explained. She glanced at Sano, who was standing on one corner, whistling to himself. He seemed not to care about our conversation. "And then I saw that ROOSTER HEAD over there."

Suddenly, he turned his face to us, and his eyebrows rose. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

Megumi stepped closer to Sano and looked at him up and down. "I said it was unfortunate that it was YOU that I saw in the classroom and not Aoshi-san. God, you don't know how worried I've become when I saw your face..."

"Shouldn't I be hearing a _thank you_ from you because I brought your boyfriend to your stupid gay show?"

Megumi raised her eyebrows and planted her hands on her hips. "A _thank you?_ You think I'm going to say _thank you_? To you? You just insulted the production that we've struggled to put together for the past couple of months, and you're expecting a _thank you_ from me? Unbelievable!"

"Hey. I'm just saying! If not for me, Ao-chan here wouldn't be able to see you tiptoe on the stage while you wear that...that...mini-dress, or whatever you call it. Honestly, I don't even care what you call it!"

"It's a tutu! We use proper names for our stuff."

"Well...I don't care! Because I think ballet is boring. And ballerinas like you are conceited."

"WHAT?"

"Yeah, girls like you are conceited! Just because you're, you're sexy – I mean – skinny, you think all the boys would fall for you. Yeah, that's right. That's how you act. Am I wrong? Say, Ao-chan, you agree with me right?"

Sano turned to me. I looked at him and realized that he was shaking. _Why wouldn't they stop fighting? It's always like this,_ I thought to myself.

"You wouldn't side with him, would you?" Megumi said as she eyed me.

I sighed heavily. "Megumi-san, Sano didn't mean what he just told you. He loved the ballet. And he liked how you danced on stage."

"What the hell?" Sano cried. Megumi was not able to say anything after that.

"But he also has a point. You should've at least thanked him for telling me that you were going to perform today. If not for Sano, I would've missed everything. I mean, I didn't receive any message or call from you, so, really...you owe him one," I finished.

Sano seemed to calm down after my explanation. Megumi wanted to contest what I just said, but she simply gave up. She glanced at Sano, as she pouted her lips.

"T-thanks..." she murmured.

I smiled slightly when I heard her say the word. Sano didn't seem to react at first. But eventually, he nodded his head in response. He also glanced at Megumi. He pouted his lips like her, as if they were kids having a petty quarrel.

"You..." Sano started. "You don't really – you don't really look...uhhmm...bad in your mini-dress, I mean...tutu either."

He scratched his head then turned back. I laughed when I saw his reaction.

"C'mon, guys, why don't we just celebrate? What do you think?" I said.

"Sounds good to me," Megumi replied. "I don't know about rooster head."

Sano raised his right hand. "Of course, I'm in! As long as someone will treat me!"

Megumi and I both laughed when we heard Sano. "Okay, it's settled then!" I shouted. "Let's go have some ramen this time!"

And then we ended the day by filling our stomachs with several bowls of ramen and gyoza at a restaurant near our school.

* * *

"Shinomori-sempai! Are you going to dump a girl today?"

I removed my sneakers then put them inside the shoebox. I slipped on my indoor slippers then took an envelope from the shoebox.

"Aha! Another love letter! Just when will it ever end, Shinomori-sempai? I always see girls leaving envelopes in your shoebox. Don't you even get tired of reading 'em?"

I opened the envelope and started reading the letter.

_My Beloved Aoshi-sama,_

_3 p.m. At the fish pond behind the main building._

_Our destinies will finally cross paths._

_I will be waiting, my love._

_Your significant other,_

_Momoko Sawajiri, _

_Class 3-C_

It was short and straightforward. I sighed as I put back the letter in the envelope.

"So, have you decided? Are you going to do it today?"

Before I proceeded to my classroom, I stopped for a while then turned to my side. Two young men stared at me excitedly. One was holding a camcorder in his hands, while the other was scribbling some notes on a paper.

Tsunoda and Yahiko are part of the Student Council, and they are working for the documentary date contest that will be held during the Summer Party. They have been filming my life every day for the past few weeks. Although I've tried to evade them before, they were just everywhere I went. Eventually, I gave up running away. I've let them film my life ever since. But looks like, it would be their first time to record my actual dumping of a student.

"Maybe..." I briefly replied.

"So, who's the next victim? And where will it take place?" Tsunoda asked me as he wrote on the paper he was holding.

My eyebrows rose when I heard him mention the word 'victim.'

"Momoko Sawajiri from Class 3-C. It's by the fish pond. Today at three," I said.

"Sawajiri-san? Wow! Isn't she the student who got an early acceptance from Tokyo University? I heard she's pretty smart, and pretty too," Tsunoda exclaimed as he continued to write.

"Too bad she's gonna get dumped today," Yahiko commented as he held the camcorder in his hands.

I shot a glance at him when he said that.

"Yeah, I know, right?" Tsunoda chuckled. He shook his head then stared at me. "Such a waste. Oh well, that's the life of our young Adonis here. And that's why it's interesting to film your life. By the way, today's going to be the last day we're filming you. So expect us to be around you all the time!"

I sighed. "Suit yourselves."

I started to walk towards my classroom. Gladly, when the school bell rang, Tsunoda and Yahiko decided to go back to their classrooms as well. At least for the time being, I would be away from the camera and from those two annoying brats.

* * *

Our professor piled a stack of exams on the desk. As he fixed his wide-rimmed glasses, he glared at us then paced in front of the classroom. He held a small notebook in his hands, flipped the pages then scribbled something on one side.

The whole class was quiet. Not one of us dared to create a noise. Professor Genzai was going to give back our Calculus exams, which stirred feelings of fear and anxiety among the students. It was such a time when one could use a little hope to maintain one's sanity.

"I'm gravely disappointed at the results," Professor Genzai started as he sighed. He rubbed his long white beard then eyed everyone in the room. "I was...shall we say, expecting more from everyone?"

I noticed that almost all of the students lowered their heads. Perhaps they didn't want to know the results, or perhaps they simply didn't want see our professor's saddened expression.

"But oh well...you are young and full of life. You should be enjoying your youth! Not being burdened by trivial matters like this test," he smiled at everyone.

A student raised her hand after he said those words. He gestured for her to speak.

"I mean no offense, Professor Genzai, but I think that this Calculus exam is not a trivial matter at all. Our school expects us to enroll at Tokyo University, and having a failing grade at Calculus wouldn't do us good. What will we do if our parents know about this?" she explained passionately.

"They're gonna kill me," a guy commented as he put his forehead on his desk.

"It's over!" one girl shouted. Suddenly, she started to sob like a kid.

Slowly, one by one, everyone in the classroom panicked. Some cried, some complained, some screamed as if it were the end of the world. _They're crazy_, I thought casually. I turned my head and looked outside the window. The sky was dark, and gray clouds populated it. I sighed when I realized that there was a high chance of precipitation today.

"All right, all right...now, don't exaggerate this matter, everyone. This is only an exam. If you're worried about your grades, we can always have a make-up test sometime after the summer. How about that?" Professor Genzai calmly suggested.

"No, professor! Our parents will still see our grades no matter what! It's totally not cool," a girl reacted. She wiped her tears by her handkerchief as she cried.

Professor Genzai paused for a while as he examined everyone. Then, he turned back and took the exam on top of the stack. "There is, however, good news."

Everyone became silent when he announced that. "One person got a perfect score in the test."

"Perfect?"

"Is that person an alien or what?"

"Who can even get a perfect score in Professor Genzai's tests? They're ridiculously hard..."

"Then what about the rest of the class?"

Our professor touched the remaining pile on the desk. "The rest got failing grades."

In an instant, the whole class' attitude changed once again. I didn't care nonetheless, but their overreaction annoyed the shit out of me. _For heaven's sake! It's just a goddamn exam_, I cursed inside my head. The girls cried as if it were the end of the world while the boys pounded their hands on the desks as they released their anger and frustration. I simply observed everyone from my seat.

Surprisingly, Professor Genzai came up to me. He smiled widely then placed a paper on top of my desk. As soon as he did that, he turned around and walked back to his place.

The students gasped when they saw the old professor's action. They couldn't hide their facial expressions that either spoke of awe or disgust.

"So, it's Aoshi-kun again..." one guy said. I looked at him and saw that he was pissed off.

"What do you expect? I heard he's even smarter than Himura-san," another guy commented.

"Well, I guess curving our grades is out of the question then. He's the only one who's safe after all."

"Don't you think it's kinda annoying that he gets perfect scores in all of his exams? I mean, I don't even see him studying hard."

"Maybe even the professors developed a liking for him? That's gross though. I don't even want to think about it."

"But I really think something fishy is going on. Why only him? Why do the rest of us have to suffer?"

"Makes sense..."

"I like Shinomori-kun, but I also think that he's doing something to boost his grades."

"Bribes, perhaps?"

"Who knows? Look at him! He didn't even look worried at all when Genzai-sensei brought back the exam papers. He knew right along that he would get the highest grade."

"C'mon, maybe he just didn't care. We know him. He's just very reticent, that's all."

"He never cares about anything. I heard he dumped Reiko Kurasagi from the Kendo Club."

"What? Such a meanie! Reiko is a sweet girl! What a stupid mistake on her part though...She should've known better..."

"And I heard he's going to dump Momoko today, at the fish pond."

"Sawajiri-san! You mean from Class 3-C? I didn't know she had a crush on Aoshi-kun. Oh my gosh, I feel bad for her already."

"He's a douche."

"Of course he is!"

"He thinks he's perfect and all, but really, he's just a selfish, egocentric, apathetic bastard who doesn't give a damn about anything at all!"

I stood up from my seat and slammed my hands on the desk to stop all the whispering and chatting. I couldn't stand what I was hearing. I couldn't stay put and shut up for the rest of the period as they lambasted my personality. It was too much to take.

I turned my head to everyone in the class and glared at them. Some of the students evaded my gaze, others simply looked down on their knees. Still, others dared to look at me, anger and frustration spelled across their faces.

"Shinomori-kun?" I heard Professor Genzai call my name. I realized that he was completely ignorant of what was happening in the room. "Is there anything the matter?"

I tried to control my temper. I clenched my fists then put them inside my pockets. "I...I need to use the bathroom," I muttered.

"Very well, you can go," he calmly said.

As I walked away from my desk, I stared at my classmates who also secretly followed me by their eyes. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs and argue with them, but in the end, I simply did not have the guts to do so.

I did not know why I was burning in anger and contempt. I did not know why I hated my classmates for judging my character and decisions. Perhaps because everything they said wasn't true or perhaps because everything they said was the truth after all. I had no idea.

_I care about something. I can feel. I'm not apathetic,_ I convinced myself as I walked through the empty hall outside our room. My trembling hands were still in my pockets.

_I care for Megumi. I have friends. I have Sano. I have..._

And then the unexpected happened.

Misao appeared before my eyes

She looked confused and worried when she saw my face. Her bright smile instantly turned into a disappointing frown. I felt bad as soon as her expression changed. I felt bad because lately, she's been frowning a lot because of me. I used to be the reason why she laughed and smiled; now it was completely the opposite.

"Shinomori-sempai..." she uttered. We stopped in the hallway and stared at each other.

"Mi-chan," I spoke. I closed my eyes for a second and felt relieved when I uttered her name. "What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" she asked me back. "Don't you have a class or something?"

"Forget it," I retorted. I started to walk as I replied. My eyes avoided her piercing gaze. I did not want her to involve in my problems. I did not want her to know anything at all.

But she quickly held me back when she grabbed my left arm. She held it tightly as if never wanting to let go.

"I miss you, sempai..."

My eyes widened in shock when I heard her trembling voice. I didn't reply right away. I was too stunned by her words that for an instant, my anger soon vanished and everything seemed to turn back to normal once again.

I sighed.

Then without any warning, I grabbed Misao's petite frame and held her in my arms.

I realized that I was the one who did not want to let her go.

"I know..." I spoke as I continued embracing her. "You wrote in your letter."

She chuckled softly as she put her arms around my body. She gently patted my back, comforting me like a mother to her son.

Her warmth soothed my soul as I held her in my arms. I didn't know that it was Misao who would be able to pacify my feelings and ease the pain and confusion in my heart. Oftentimes, I have neglected her cheerful presence and ignored her antics. I have dismissed her many times because I always thought she was only a nuisance to me. But now I realize how important she really is in my life.

Misao is more than a friend supporting me in times of hurt and sadness. She is more than the person I've thought she was for the longest time.

My fingers ran through her short hair and caressed it. I wanted to be gentle to her. I wanted to show her how much I cared even though I have often ignored her presence.

"Please stay like this, Mi-chan," I spoke softly. I could feel the loud pounding of her heart.

"Shinomori-sempai..." She rested her head on my chest. "I wish I could..."

I loosened my embrace when I heard her say those words. I looked at her face and stared into her ocean blue eyes. For a moment, I thought I was going to lose myself.

"Why?" I asked her.

She smiled at me then broke free from my arms.

I wasn't able to do anything to make her stay.

"Because..." she started. "I must go."

"Where?"

"To my classroom. Where else do you think?" she laughed slightly.

I felt disappointed that she had to leave me. "I see..."

"I promised Soujiro that we will eat lunch together. I wanted to ask you too, but he told me that you already have Takani-sempai. So, I just scrapped the whole idea. Hahaha," she chuckled. Surprisingly, there was no hint of sarcasm or hurt or anything at all in her voice. She sounded normal and calm.

"See you later then," she finally told me. She waved her hand goodbye then skipped like a little girl to her classroom.

As I watched Misao's figure from afar, the words of my classmate kept on repeating inside my head.

_He thinks he's perfect and all, but really, he's just a selfish, egocentric, apathetic bastard who doesn't give a damn about anything at all!_

I denied everything, all the things they accused of me.

But somehow, I still wondered if those were the reasons why Misao has chosen to move on.

_You're a moron, Aoshi_...

And then I turned around and walked away.

* * *

A/N: Sooo...what do you think this time? I wrote it in Aoshi's POV so you'll have a glimpse of what is really going on inside his head. I realize that most of you are pissed off at Aoshi, but hey, there's a reason why he's acting like a bastard to Misao! :D Ohohoho! Some readers suggested that it's better to pair Misao with Soujiro. I've also thought about that, but we'll see how this story develops. I already have plans for the next few chapters, which will heavily focus on the Summer Party and Inter-high thingy (I know, I know, these things have been taking soooo long to happen! Gomen ~_~). I hope everything turns great!

Once again, thank you for the reviews! I especially want to thank the following for reviewing the latest chapter:

**USWeasilgirl**

**Toffee-Pixie**

**DeathxNotexLover**

**Misao91**

YAYY! Don't forget to leave a review, okay? Let me know what you think! And of course, suggestions and constructive criticisms are more than welcome! Ja neee! ^_^


End file.
